Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2025
Author Spotlight: Implementing the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Concept in Rehabilitation Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Published on: March 1, 2024
Indications, Techniques, and Outcomes of Bridge-Enhanced ACL Restoration (BEAR)
Aakash K Shah1,2, Ava G Neijna1, Julia S Retzky1
1Sports Medicine Institute, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
Purpose Of Review:
The current landscape of treating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears is rapidly evolving with the advent of the bridge-enhanced ACL restoration (BEAR). BEAR is a novel approach to restore the ACL in lieu of conventional reconstruction. BEAR has recently been approved for post-market use by all orthopaedic surgeons for midsubstance or proximal ACL tears. This article provides a review of the indications and outcomes of BEAR, graduating from the Trial 1 stage to the post-market stage, current operative techniques, and the postoperative rehabilitation protocol for BEAR.
Recent Findings:
Current research demonstrates similar postoperative patient-reported outcome measures and functional outcomes following BEAR compared to ACL reconstruction in clinical trials. Combining all three BEAR trials, there was an aggregate re-tear rate of 15%. Our post-market published BEAR data shows non-inferior short-term postoperative PROMs and functional outcomes as well as zero re-tears. The early- and mid-term results of BEAR show that it is a potential alternative to ACLR for specific patient groups.
