Phoebe’s Story: A Cross-Country Journey to Repair a Torn ACL

Some patients go to great lengths to ensure they receive the best treatment for an injury — even if it requires traveling to the opposite side of the country. That was the case with Phoebe Anderson, a collegiate athlete at the University of California at Berkeley who suffered an ACL tear while playing rugby.

Twenty-year old Phoebe and her mother, Larissa, learned about the BEAR^® Implant while conducting their own research on treatment options for Phoebe’s torn ACL.

“We were intrigued by what we read,” Larissa says. “Regenerating tissue is less invasive than reconstructing and seems to put less stress on the body. Phoebe is a young, competitive athlete, and we wanted to make sure she has the best opportunity to continue with sports and fitness well into the future.”

After reading about the BEAR Implant, Phoebe and Larissa contacted Miach Orthopaedics and secured a list of physicians offering the new implant. They made the decision to travel to New Jersey for treatment because they felt strongly about working with Dr. Sean McMillian, a sports medicine surgeon at Virtua Orthopedics & Spine in South New Jersey. Dr. McMillan was the first in the state of New Jersey to perform the surgery.

“His expertise in sports medicine was a driving factor for me, especially as a student athlete,” Phoebe recalls.

How the BEAR Implant Works

Traditionally, the standard of care to treat an ACL tear is to use a tendon or ligament grafted from another part of the body or from a donor. The BEAR Implant, however, allows the body to heal itself by acting as a bridge between the two ends of a torn ACL. A small amount of the patient’s own blood is inserted into the implant, which is then placed between the torn ends of the ACL. The BEAR Implant holds and protects that blood to allow the formation of the clot that is necessary for healing. Over time, the implant allows the ACL to fuse back together, maintaining the original attachments to the femur and tibia.

After approximately eight weeks, the implant is resorbed by the body and replaced with tissue that continues to strengthen over time.

“It’s like a bridge to let the body regenerate,” Dr. McMillan explains.

Recovering from an ACL Tear

There are approximately 400,000 ACL tears annually in the United States. Replacing the torn ligament through ACL reconstruction is the most common treatment for this injury but can sometimes result in side effects such as pain when kneeling, reduced strength in the hamstring or quad muscles, and the risk of disease transmission when donor tissue is used. There is also an increased concern of developing long-term arthritis.

According to Dr. McMillan, recovery from the BEAR Implant is generally less painful and could have other long-term benefits.

“The ability to save a patient’s ligament rather than replace it has many advantages,” Dr. McMillan explains. “Encouraging clinical studies have shown faster recovery of muscle strength and higher patient satisfaction, which makes the BEAR Implant especially ideal for younger athletes. We hear that a lot of athletes lose their careers as arthritis creeps in, and early animal data suggests that this may be an alternative to keep that arthritis away.”

That is welcome news for Phoebe. At three months post-surgery, she was feeling confident in her treatment choice and was regaining her strength through physical therapy.

“I am extremely happy that I was able to have this procedure,” she says. ”It’s not like the other knee yet, but it’s pretty good and I’m looking forward to getting back on the rugby field!”

Learn more about the BEAR Implant

Find a surgeon who offers the BEAR Implant or discuss the option with your orthopedic surgeon.

New Breakthrough Treatment For Torn ACLs Helps Patients Avoid Painful Surgery

The BEAR Implant from Miach Orthopaedics was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2020. It is indicated for skeletally mature patients at least 14 years of age with a complete rupture of the ACL confirmed by MRI. Patients must have an ACL stump attached to the tibia to facilitate the restoration. The BEAR device must be implanted within 50 days of injury.

Visit www.miachortho.com for complete product information, including Instructions for Use.