BEAR Implant ACL Restoration
Bridge-Enhanced ACL Restoration (BEAR Implant) repairs your own ACL without a graft. Expert sports medicine care at Lowcountry Orthopaedics Charleston SC.
ACL Restoration
Benefits of the BEAR Implant include:
- Helps your ACL heal itself using autologous blood products
- Faster recovery of muscle strength
- Retains normal anatomy and function of the knee
- Simple outpatient procedure at Lowcountry Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Outpatient Surgery Center
- It does not require the removal of a healthy tendon from another part of your body to use for replacement
- Fast return to sports for athletes
- Highly skilled sports medicine surgeon
What is the recovery time for the BEAR Implant?
The BEAR Implant rehabilitation protocol differs from ACL reconstruction, but overall recovery time is similar. Return to high levels of activity and sports is usually around nine months after surgery, similar to ACL reconstruction.
How does the BEAR Implant work?
The BEAR Implant works with your own blood to heal the torn ends of your ACL back together. During the procedure, the ACL surgeon adds your own blood to the BEAR Implant and inserts it between the torn ends of your ACL. The implant holds and protects the blood to allow the formation of a clot. Over the next eight weeks, the BEAR Implant is resorbed by your body and replaced with native ACL tissue.
How is the BEAR Implant different from ACL reconstruction?
ACL tears are often treated with ACL reconstruction, also known as ACL replacement surgery. During ACL reconstruction, an orthopedic surgeon removes the torn ACL and replaces it with a graft from another part of the body (called an autograft) or a deceased donor (called an allograft).
Although ACL reconstruction is effective, the procedure has drawbacks. When a graft is taken from the knee, many patients experience long-term knee pain. And when a graft is taken from the hamstring, patients may have persistent weakness in that muscle. Regardless of the type of graft, many people are unable to return to the same level of daily activities or sports.
Can anyone get the BEAR Implant?
We recommend scheduling a consultation with a Lowcountry Orthopaedics sports medicine surgeon to see if you are a candidate. Your physician may recommend the BEAR Implant if you are an adult, adolescent, or child and have a complete or partial rupture of the ACL, as confirmed by MRI. You must have an ACL stump attached to the tibia to facilitate the restoration.
BEAR Implant surgery can be performed days, weeks or months after ACL injury. Eligibility is based on the quality of the remaining ACL tissue rather than a set timeframe. Your surgeon will assess whether the BEAR Implant is an option for you.
Do all orthopedic surgeons offer the BEAR Implant?
The BEAR Implant is available in select cities across the U.S. Dr. David Johannesmeyer is the first sports medicine surgeon to perform a BEAR Implant ACL Repair.
Is the BEAR Implant Safe?
The BEAR Implant from Miach Orthopaedics was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2020. In March 2025, the FDA expanded the indication to include children and adolescents age 2 and up, as well as the treatment of partial ACL tears. If the candidacy criteria are met, the BEAR Implant is a safe, new technique that promotes the patient’s ability to heal and regenerate healthy tissue.
