After 37-year-old Aaron Petruccelli tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during jiu-jitsu, he was concerned that the instability of his knee would affect him long term, not just in the sport he had loved for 19 years but also in his role as a police officer. We spoke with Aaron and his doctor, Dr. Scott Sigman, an orthopedic surgeon at Orthopedic Surgical Associates in Lowell, Massachusetts, about the BEAR^® Implant experience and why it was the right choice for Aaron.

Q: How did you tear your ACL?

Aaron: I injured my ACL doing a jiu-jitsu class. In the middle of rolling, my knee collided with my partner. I immediately heard a pop, and my knee felt off. After a few days, I realized I couldn’t bend my knee all the way, so I decided to get it checked out at the doctors. A week later, they confirmed it was an ACL tear.

Q: How did you learn about the BEAR Implant?

Aaron: After I tore my ACL, I knew I couldn’t perform the way I wanted to on the mat with the limited range of motion and mobility in my knee. In addition, the instability of the knee would hamper me long term, not just in jiu-jitsu but also at my work as a police officer, especially if I needed to run out of the car or quickly change directions. I initially went to a local orthopedic surgeon who recommended ACL reconstruction (ACLR). Through my jiu-jitsu gym, I had heard about the BEAR Implant procedure, so I dove in headfirst to research what it entailed, and it was much more appealing to me than ACLR.

Q: How has the BEAR Implant impacted how you treat ACL tears?

Dr. Sigman: The BEAR Implant has allowed me to offer a treatment that restores the patient’s own anatomy, rather than taking a tendon from elsewhere in the body to replace the ACL.

Q: What made you decide to move forward with getting the BEAR Implant?

Aaron: I knew that ACLR was considered the gold standard for ACL tears, but I knew several friends who were high-level athletes who underwent the procedure and really struggled getting back out onto the jiu-jitsu mat. I chose the BEAR Implant because it allows me to preserve the natural proprioception of my knee, and I wouldn’t have to use donor issue or take from my own hamstring, quad or patellar tendon. By not having to rehab another part of my body, I knew it would put me ahead of the game in terms of strength.

Q: Why was Aaron a good candidate for the BEAR Implant and why do you recommend this procedure for patients like Aaron?

Dr. Sigman: Aaron was a good candidate as his ACL was avulsed from the femoral side. I offer the BEAR Implant to my patients so we can maintain their own native tissues (including nerves and blood vessels) instead of replacement.

Q: Tell us about the rehab experience.

Aaron: I absolutely crushed rehab and was on an upward trajectory from start to finish. Full flexion of my knee came back very early, maybe during week 16 or 17 of rehab. My initial goal was to be able to sit on my heels because being able to sit heavy and in good posture is crucial for the sport. I knew I was on the right path when I could do that and then I focused on strength and conditioning so I could eventually hit a deep squat and change direction explosively.

Interestingly, a family member also tore his ACL during jiu-jitsu a month prior and decided to get ACLR. Compared to my positive experience, he was still struggling with his recovery even after hitting the year mark.

Dr. Sigman: Aaron sailed through his rehab and recovery. He had full range of motion six weeks post-surgery and never looked back.

Q: What, in your opinion, is most notable about the BEAR Implant?

Dr. Sigman: The most notable, early on, is that these patients have remarkably reduced pain in the first 6 weeks of their recovery as compared to ACLR.

Q: Can you tell us about returning to jiu-jitsu?

Aaron: I’ve been doing jiu-jitsu for over 19 years and am currently a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Although I’ve competed professionally in the past, these days I’m more of a recreational hobbyist rolling on the mat three times a week. Jiu-jitsu is a family affair for me, my wife also trains and competes, and we plan to get our daughter out on the mat soon.

I was cleared to return to sport nine months after getting the BEAR Implant. Before I stepped back out onto the mat for the first time, there was this nervousness factor and questioning whether I would still be able to do this and a bit of fear of reinjuring myself. After wrestling for 30 minutes, it felt like riding a bike and I was able to turn my brain off and just enjoy the sport. A lot of my fellow gym members were surprised at how fast I came back and how well I was moving compared to other people we’ve seen following ACLR. 

I trained for the World Masters Championship this past August, and I ended up 1-1 for the day which was an accomplishment since I was just cleared to return to sport earlier this year. Although I haven’t claimed any podiums yet, my stamina has been great.

Q: What unique considerations are there for athletes like Aaron when it comes to the BEAR Implant vs. ACLR?

Dr. Sigman: The most unique thing to consider when it comes to competitive athletes is that we want to maintain as much native anatomy as possible. By repairing rather than replacing the ACL, the BEAR Implant allows us to do just that.

Q: How has the BEAR Implant changed or impacted your life?

Aaron: If you were to compare how I felt after I tore my ACL and how I feel now after getting the BEAR Implant, it’s a night and day difference. I feel 100% confident in my knee and I don’t worry about it buckling under a load. My BEAR Implant knee feels normal, and I am uninhibited whether I’m at the gym, on the mat for jiu-jitsu or in my full gear as a police officer. My knee has been tested in jiu-jitsu and on the streets. By and large, the confidence factor is huge, and I think choosing the BEAR Implant changed my life for the better. Although I know ACLR is considered the “gold standard” for ACL tears, I believe it will become the “old standard” and I’m a firm believer that the BEAR Implant was the right option for me.

Learn more about the BEAR Implant and find a surgeon

The BEAR Implant is available in select cities across the U.S., with more cities coming soon. Learn more about the BEAR Implant or find a surgeon in your area. If you’re a BEAR Implant patient and would like to share your story, click here.

The BEAR Implant from Miach Orthopaedics was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2020. It is indicated for adults, adolescents and children with a complete or partial rupture of the ACL, as confirmed by MRI. Patients must have an ACL stump attached to the tibia to construct the repair. Children with open physes must have sufficient bone in the femoral and tibial epiphyses on either side of the intended tunnel locations to avoid disruption of the growth plates.

It is important to follow the BEAR Implant physical therapy program. Your surgeon can explain the program details.

Be sure to discuss your individual symptoms, diagnosis and treatment with your surgeon. The BEAR Implant has the same potential medical/surgical complications as other orthopedic surgical procedures, including ACL reconstruction. These include the risk of re-tear, infection, knee pain, meniscus injury and limited range of motion.

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

ML-1170 Rev A 11/2024