Physicians at Huntington (N.Y.) Hospital, an affiliate of Northwell Health, have performed the first BEAR implant procedure and the first CartiHeal Agili-C implant procedure at the system.
Robert Trasolini, DO, a sports medicine specialist at Northwell, performed the BEAR procedure on an 18-year-old patient as an alternative to traditional ACL reconstruction. The implant is a collagen-based device that combines with a patient’s blood to form a collagen matrix that allows the body to heal on its own, preserving the patient’s tissue rather than replacing it, according to a May 20 press release.
James Paci, MD, director of orthopedic surgery and sports medicine for Suffolk County at the Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group at Northwell, performed the CartiHeal procedure on a 52-year-old patient.
The coral-based implant acts as a biological scaffold for patients with cartilage lesions to promote cartilage regrowth over six to nine months, giving patients an extra 10 to 15 years of pain relief before a full knee replacement becomes necessary.
