Holland Hospital is First in Michigan to Offer Innovative BEAR® Implant to Treat ACL Tears

Wed, Nov 9, 2022
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Holland Hospital is First in Michigan to Offer Innovative BEAR® Implant to Treat ACL Tears

Enables Injured ACL to Heal Itself

Holland Hospital and Shoreline Orthopaedics, in partnership, are the first in Michigan to offer the BEAR® Implant for treatment of one of the most common knee injuries in the United States, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. The Bridge-Enhanced® ACL Restoration, or BEAR, Implant is the first medical advancement to allow the body to heal its own torn ACL. This new approach is a paradigm shift from the current standard of care – reconstruction that replaces the ACL with another tendon or graft – and is the first innovation in ACL tear treatment in more than 30 years.

Every year, approximately 400,000 ACL injuries occur in the United States. During an ACL reconstruction, the surgeon completely removes the remaining torn ACL and reconstructs it with either a tendon from the patient’s own leg or a deceased donor. 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 the use of a donor tendon. The BEAR Implant acts as a bridge to help the ends of the torn ACL heal together.

“There are a number of advantages to restoring a ligament instead of replacing it,” said Bruce Stewart, MD, an orthopedic and sports medicine surgeon with Shoreline Orthopaedics. “Encouraging clinical studies have shown that the BEAR Implant restores the torn ACL to the similar quality and size of a patient’s non-injured ACL. It also has shown faster muscle strength recovery and high patient satisfaction when returning to sports or activities.

Dr. Bruce Stewart with Shoreline Orthopaedics was the first surgeon in the state of Michigan to perform the BEAR Implant procedure. Holland Hospital and Shoreline Othropaedics work closely together to provide the highest quality and most innovative care in sports medicine. This collaboration includes skilled sports medicine specialists and certified athletic trainers, who deliver a full continuum of care, including expert concussion diagnosis and care and a full range of surgical and non-surgical treatment options.

“Being able to offer the BEAR Implant shows how committed Shoreline Orthopaedics and Holland Hospital are to bringing the latest technology to the area and how dedicated the team is to continuing to advance patient care,” Dr. Stewart said.

Holland Hospital’s surgical and orthopedics care has consistently earned national recognition including Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Surgical Care and America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery. For more information, visit hollandhospital.org/sportsmed.