New ACL procedure performed for first time at ECU Health

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — ACL tears are one of the most common surgeries for an Orthopedic Surgeon to repair.

A new approach, called the “bear” implant, will change the future of ACL surgeries and has been performed for the first time in Greenville.

An ECU Health Orthopedic Surgeon performed the less-invasive surgery. A standard ACL surgery relies on a graft replacement, which uses tissue from another part of the body.

Now, with a new procedure, Dr. Christopher Hasty of Orthopedics East is providing a less-invasive solution.

“In the past, when you try to reconstruct that graft, you couldn’t repair the graft because it didn’t heal very well because of the fluid that’s around the knee,” Dr. Hasty said. “This new implant allows you to kind of block that fluid and keep it from keeping the ACL from healing.”

Every year, 400,000 ACL injuries occur in the United States. At Orthopedics East, the most common patients are those who play sports.

When deciding on ACL procedures, specifically the bear implant, knee functions are analyzed and the location of the tear is considered.

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