Two EvergreenHealth orthopedic surgeons are the first physicians in Washington state to perform anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair surgery using a new implant that allows the body to heal its own torn ACL, EvergreenHealth said in a media release on Monday.
EvergreenHealth is one of ten sites in the U.S. participating in a study that uses the Bridge Enhanced ACL Restoration (BEAR) implant.
The new implant eliminates the need to use a healthy tendon from another part of a patient or donor’s body to replace the torn ligament.
Camille Clinton, MD, and John Manning, MD, with EvergreenHealth Orthopedics & Sports, performed the procedure using the BEAR implant, which offered the first innovation in ACL tear treatment in more than 30 years.
“Early clinical studies with the BEAR Implant have shown the potential for faster recovery of muscle strength and encouraging findings regarding patient satisfaction and readiness to return to sports when compared with traditional ACL reconstruction,” said Manning.