Mark Callanan, MD, of The Orthopedic Clinic, has performed an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair using BEAR Implant, the first medical advancement to enable the body to heal its own torn ACL. The surgery was performed at Willis Knighton Portico Center. Willis Knighton is the first in the north Louisiana to offer BEAR ACL repairs.

The ACL is one of the key ligaments that help stabilize the knee joint. It connects the thigh bone to the shinbone. Injuries to the ACL most often are sports related. Torn ACLs do not heal by reconnecting independently as other ligament tears do. An orthopedic surgeon must remove the torn ACL ends and replace them with a graft during a conventional reconstruction operation.

By contrast, Bear Implant is a minimally invasive procedure where the ACL is first repaired back to the femoral wall. The BEAR Implant is then injected with the patient’s own blood and inserted into torn ends of the ACL. As the ACL heals, the implant is absorbed by the body, usually within eight weeks.  

“While this isn’t indicated for every patient, this is an excellent option for certain candidates to primarily repair their ACL versus having to do a full reconstruction following an injury,” Dr. Callanan said. “There are many studies and evolving clinical practice of ACL repair versus reconstruction in the field of sports medicine and the BEAR Implant is at the forefront.”