ACL Repair
Anterior Cruciate Ligament tears are one of the most common knee injuries in the United States. Singing River Orthopedics offers traditional and breakthrough procedures for the treatment of torn ACLs.
About Your ACL
The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is like a strong band inside your knee that helps keep it stable when you move, like when you walk, run, or jump. If it gets injured, it can make your knee feel wobbly or give out.
ACL injuries can happen to anyone, but they happen often during sports activities. A torn ACL does not heal without treatment, resulting in ACL surgery being one of the most common orthopedic procedures in the U.S.
ACL Tear Symptoms
The symptoms of an ACL tear can vary but often include:
- Sudden, severe pain in the knee
- Swelling within a few hours of the injury
- A popping sensation at the time of injury
- Instability or a feeling that the knee may give way
- Difficulty bearing weight on the injured leg
- Limited range of motion
- Pain or discomfort when walking or standing
ACL Repair Options
There are now two surgical options for ACL repair, both performed at Singing River Orthopedics using a robotic system:
- ACL Reconstruction Surgery
- BEAR Implant
ACL Reconstruction
Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction surgery replaces your damaged ligament with a graft, usually taken from a tendon in your own body, such as the patellar tendon or the hamstring tendon. Over time, the body will integrate the graft, essentially turning it into a new ligament.
BEAR Implant
Singing River Orthopedics is pioneering the use of a breakthrough technology called the BEAR® Implant for ACL repair.
The BEAR Implant is the first innovation in ACL tear treatment in more than 30 years. It is the first FDA-approved medical technology to enable healing of a torn ACL. This new approach is a shift from the current standard of care, ACL reconstruction.
How BEAR Works
The surgeon injects a small amount of your own blood into the implant and inserts it between the torn ends of the ACL in a minimally invasive procedure. The combination of the BEAR Implant and your blood enables the body to heal the torn ends of the ACL back together while maintaining the ACL’s original attachments to the femur and tibia. As the ACL heals, the BEAR Implant is resorbed by the body, usually within eight weeks.
Who is the Procedure For?
- Teens and Adults: you must be at least 14 years of age and skeletally mature in order to receive the BEAR implant.
- Complete Ruptures: your ACL must have torn all the way across, instead of a partial tear.
- Recently Injured: the BEAR implant cannot be used on old injuries—you need to have your implant surgery 50 days or less after your ACL injury.
Advantages of the BEAR Implant
There are a number of advantages to restoring a ligament instead of replacing it, and this exciting medical technology is the first to enable the body to heal its own torn ACL while maintaining the natural knee anatomy.
Unlike reconstruction, the BEAR Implant does not require a second surgical wound site to remove a healthy tendon from another part of the leg or using a deceased donor’s tendon. Instead, the implant acts as a bridge to help ends of the torn ACL heal together.
The benefits of a BEAR implant versus traditional reconstruction may include:
- Less Pain
- Faster Recovery
- Easier Revisions
Call Singing River Orthopedics for ACL Repair
If you or a loved one are suffering from an ACL injury, the providers at Singing River Orthopedics can help. No referral is needed to make an appointment at our offices in Ocean Springs and Gulfport.
