Dr. Daniel Romanelli Using Innovative Implant

Orthopedic Surgeon Daniel Romanelli, MD, FAAOS is a leader in providing a novel treatment for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears called the BEAR® Implant. Dr. Romanelli just completed his 25th implant which have consistently yielded outstanding results for patients. He is the first orthopedic surgeon in the Rio Grande Valley to do this type of innovative procedure. He is an expert in his field with over 24 years of experience and dual board certified in Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine. The surgeries are done at DHR Health’s sister hospital located in Brownsville.

“There are a number of advantages to restoring a ligament instead of replacing it as well as providing a healing environment to an ACL reconstruction with the natural function of the knee. The BEAR Implant is an exciting medical technology that has been clinically proven to enable a patient’s torn ACL to heal and to restore the natural function of the knee as well as enhancing the healing environment for the ACL graft,” said Dr. Romanelli. “It gives me great joy to be able to do these innovative procedures for patients in the Rio Grande Valley,” he added.

The BEAR (Bridge-Enhanced ACL Repair) implant surrounds the ACL graft to protect it from the synovial fluid, creating an ideal healing environment. It provides an orthobiological barrier to enhance the healing of the graft, acting as a fertilizer for the graft. Since Dr. Romanelli started performing the BEAR Implant procedure with his ACL reconstructions, he has found that by using the BEAR Implant, his patients have been reporting less pain and been more compliant
with their rehabilitation programs.

Every year, approximately 400,000 ACL injuries occur in the U.S. A torn ACL does not heal without treatment, resulting in ACL reconstruction being one of the most common orthopedic procedures in the U.S. Some people who undergo reconstruction are unable to return to the same level of daily activities or sports. The BEAR implant is assisting in reversing that trend.

During an ACL reconstruction, Dr. Romanelli completely removes the remaining torn ACL and reconstructs it with either a tendon from the patient’s own leg (called an autograft) or a deceased donor (called an allograft). As with any surgery, ACL reconstruction has certain risks of re-tears. However, there are supplementary surgeries that can be utilized to help augmentation with an orthobiologic agent. Dr. Romanelli is currently using quadriceps autograft, which is the new gold standard for ACL grafts.

The BEAR Implant acts as a bridge to help the ends of the torn ACL heal together and provides a healing environment for the graft void of synovial fluid. Dr. Romanelli injects a small amount of the patient’s own blood into the implant, which is applied in and around the ACL in a minimally invasive procedure. The combination of the BEAR Implant and the patient’s blood enables the body to heal the ACL.

The BEAR Implant was granted De Novo Approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is indicated for skeletally mature patients at least 14 years of age with a complete rupture of the ACL, as confirmed by MRI. Patients must have an ACL stump attached to the tibia to facilitate the restoration. Patients should discuss their individual symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment with their 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. Additionally, there is potential for more possible applications for the BEAR implant to be utilized in other body parts.

Patients seeking more information about the BEAR Implant procedure can schedule a same-day or next-day appointment with Dr. Romanelli by calling his office at (956) 362-5870. Dr. Romanelli is fluent in English and Spanish and sees patients in his offices located at DHR Health’s Multispecialty Clinic located at 4770 N. Expressway, Suite 305A, in Brownsville, and DHR Health Multispecialty Clinic located at 1000 E Expressway 83, Suite 5B, La Joya.  This fall Dr. Romanelli will be moving to an office in Edinburg.