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Presidio Surgery Center

BEAR Implant - Bridge Enhanced ACL Restoration

Presidio Surgery Center just completed the first BEAR implant in northern California. See below to learn more about BEAR Implants. 

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Dr. Keith Chan

Knowing What to Expect

Preparing for surgery can feel overwhelming or scary if you don’t know what to expect. You may have some unanswered questions and worries that make you feel this way. Knowing what to expect will help you feel less nervous and more in control.

BEAR Implant – Bridge Enhanced ACL Restoration

The ACL or anterior cruciate ligament is one of the most injury-prone ligaments in the knees. In fact, studies have reported that about 100,000 to 200,000 individuals sustain ACL tears every year in the US. This commonly happens to athletes engaged in strenuous contact sports, such as football, basketball, and soccer.

Unlike most muscle sprains, ACL injuries do not heal independently, especially if the ligaments get entirely ruptured. It can only be treated through surgical procedures like ACL reconstruction using tissue grafting.

However, this reconstructive procedure can have long-term side effects on the patient, such as increased knee degeneration and arthritis. Fortunately, there’s a new innovative procedure that orthopedic specialists can now perform to treat ACL tears, and that’s the Bridge Enhanced ACL Restoration or BEAR Implant.


What Is the BEAR Technique?

The Bridge Enhanced ACL Restoration (BEAR) technique refers to a procedure used to treat ruptured or torn ACLs. This new, FDA-approved procedure serves as a much better alternative than traditional ACL reconstruction for its less invasive and less complex nature.

The BEAR technique works by using a medical device called BEAR Implant to bridge the gap between the torn ACL ends. The implant is a bovine-derived extracellular matrix that will help repair the ruptured ACL without requiring tissue grafts.

This procedure helps restore the native ACL through the combined method of suture repair and BEAR technique. Unlike the traditional ACL reparation, there’s no need for donor tissues or autograft to completely treat one’s ACL injury.

Patients can now achieve complete functional restoration without the consequences of traditional ACL surgery.