Miach Orthopaedics announced today that it made the BEAR implant for treating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears commercially available in the U.S.
Westborough, Massachusetts-based Miach designed the BEAR (Bridge-Enhanced ACL repair) implant to enable the healing of a patient’s torn ACL, shifting from the current standard of care that includes reconstruction that replaces the ACL with a graft.
According to a news release, the BEAR implant also received a Popular Science Best of What’s New Award for its representation of a significant step forward in health.
The BEAR implant restores ACL quality and size similar to the non-injured ACL to provide a faster recovery of muscle strength and better patient satisfaction around returns to sports. By eliminating the need for a graft, BEAR allows for patients to avoid needing a second wound site to heal and alleviates worries about donor graft quality or risk of disease.
Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow, the Chief Medical Advisor for the New Jersey Devils (National Hockey League) and Philadelphia 76ers (National Basketball Association), and Dr. Thom Mayer, Medical Director for the National Football League Players Association, both expressed encouragement over the benefits of the BEAR implant.
“ACL tears are a common sports injury, no matter what you play or at what level, and they can be devastating for our players in the NFL,” Mayer said in the release. “As a new treatment option with exciting benefits over traditional ACL reconstruction, I’m hopeful that the BEAR Implant can help people return to the sports and activities they love.”
A torn ACL does not heal on its own, making ACL reconstruction one of the most common orthopedic procedures in the U.S., Miach said, with approximately 400,000 ACL injuries occurring per year in the country.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the interest from patients who’ve torn their ACLs and are actively seeking an alternative to the current standard of care,” Miach Orthopaedics President & CEO Martha Shadan said. “We’re honored the BEAR Implant was selected by Popular Science as one of the best new health products of the year, and we are excited to make this innovative treatment available for patients.”