BEAR® Implant for ACL Repair

At Crescent City Orthopedics, we are here to provide you with the latest evidence-based treatments so you can take on injury and get back to optimal health. In keeping with our commitment to provide our patients with world-class orthopedic care, we are proud to offer the BEAR Implant for repairing the ACL, one of the most common knee injuries in the U.S.

As the first innovation in ACL tear treatments in over 30 years, the BEAR Implant, or the Bridge Enhanced ACL Restoration Implant, is used in a leading-edge procedure that helps the patient’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) heal itself while maintaining the natural knee anatomy.

Why the BEAR Implant?

When an ACL tear occurs, it impossible for the ACL to heal naturally due to the synovial fluid in the knee joint. Patients with a torn ACL often require ACL reconstruction surgery, where the damaged portion of the ACL is replaced with a donor's tendon or tissue from another part of their own body. While this method is standard and dependable, many individuals struggle to return to the sports or level of activity they had before their injury.

The BEAR Implant procedure is an ideal alternative, preserving the patient's natural tissue for a quicker recovery compared to a traditional reconstruction surgery. Furthermore, knee surgeons can avoid removing additional tissue from the body or operating in secondary areas because the implant removes the need for other tissues to heal the injured ligament. In fact, the implant allows the ACL to heal itself. 

How the BEAR Implant Works

During the eight weeks after the BEAR knee procedure, the implant will be resorbed into the knee, allowing your own tissue to grow and take the place of the implant. Your knee surgeon will use your own blood to place the implant and create a way for the blood to clot and heal. The implant will act as a bridge that will allow the ACL fibers to bind back together. 

Benefits of the BEAR Implant

• Helps your own ACL heal
• Preserves and restores the natural ACL tissue
• No grafting required, meaning better range of motion and less healing needed
• Quicker muscle strength recovery
• Go home the same day after the arthroscopic procedure
• Higher patient satisfaction with being ready to return to sports
• Less surgical areas in comparison to a graft

Eligibility for the BEAR Implant

• Patients must have partially or completely ruptured their ACL, confirmed by an MRI scan.
• Patients must be at least 14 years old with full skeletal maturation.
• Surgery often takes place within 50 days of the ACL injury event.
• ACL must still be attached to the tibia.

Experienced, Specialized Knee Care

Our BEAR Implant expert, Dr. Scott Buhler, is an expert in performing the latest BEAR Implant procedure for ACL repair. Dr. Buhler is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and fellowship-trained sports medicine expert. He specializes in shoulder joint replacement surgeries, ACL and complex ligamentous surgical repair of the knee and arthroscopic surgery of the knee, shoulder, and elbow. With his extensive training and experience, Dr. Buhler has the expertise to assess your knee injury and provide the personalized care plan you need to move forward into the life you love.

Bear Implant Patient Comeback Story
 

If you wish to schedule a consultation with our BEAR expert, Dr. Buhler, call (504) 309-6500 or request an appointment online to get the care you need in Metairie.