Anterior cruciate ligaments often tear on the sports field, and after a complete rupture, they are notoriously hard to get to heal.

On Wednesday, doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital announced that they have succeeded in reconnecting A.C.L.s in 10 patients using a novel technique.

Their preliminary results at three months suggest that healing an original A.C.L. without the usual grafts may be a viable option in the future.

Experts were intrigued but cautious.

“This is definitely an advance,” said Dr. Jo Hannafin, a senior attending orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, who was not involved in the experiment.