What is knee meniscus repair surgery?

Knee meniscus repair surgery is a surgical procedure to remove or repair a torn meniscus, which is a piece of cartilage in your knee. 

Each of our knees has two menisci, which are C-shaped, rubbery cushions that help to absorb shock in the knee joint. If your meniscus is torn or injured, knee meniscus repair surgery will help to repair the damaged meniscus. 

Knee meniscus injuries are common if you play sports as sudden twists and turns can potentially tear a meniscus. If you are older, there is an increased risk of tearing your meniscus as it grows weak over time.

Why do you need knee meniscus repair surgery?

When you have a meniscus tear, the injured cartilage can cause your knee to be painful, swell up or lock up. On other occasions, your knee might also buckle and give way. This is why knee meniscus repair surgery is required.

What can you expect when undergoing knee meniscus repair surgery?

Preparing for Knee Meniscus Repair Surgery

During consultation, your surgeon might decide you may need certain tests to determine if you are healthy enough for surgery – these tests can include blood tests, an electrocardiogram or a chest X-ray.  You may also go under local anaesthesia with sedation or general anaesthesia.

During Knee Meniscus Repair Surgery

A knee arthroscopy will need to happen during knee meniscus repair surgery. During a knee arthroscopy, your surgeon makes a few incisions in your knee and fills your knee joint with a sterile fluid. This fluid helps with controlling minor bleeding within the joint and can help wash away debris to better assist your surgeon in seeing inside your knee joint. 

An arthroscope, a thin tube with a small light and video camera at its end, is inserted into the incision and images from inside your knee will be projected onto a monitor. Based on the tear severity, your surgeon will decide which type of surgical technique to perform:

  • Meniscus repair: Torn pieces of cartilage are sewn back together so they can heal on their own.
  • Partial meniscectomy: Damaged cartilage is trimmed and removed, leaving healthy meniscus tissue in place.

When the repair is complete, your surgeon will stitch up the incisions and cover your knee with a bandage.

After Knee Meniscus Repair Surgery

Experiencing pain after your surgery and for weeks after is normal. Your surgeon will prescribe pain medications to help you manage the pain. 

You will take longer to recover from a meniscus repair than a meniscectomy. Full recovery from meniscus surgery can vary between six weeks to three months. 

After surgery, you might need crutches and a knee brace, as well as undergo physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises.

Why choose Novena Surgery for knee meniscus repair surgery?

Doctors who choose to perform knee meniscus repair surgery at Novena Surgery will perform the procedure in one of four modular operating theaters with cable-less pendant systems, allowing doctors to operate free of stray wiring obstruction.

Post-procedure, patients can choose to recover in one of Novena Surgery’s comfortable private suites, or in our 12-bed recovery unit under the care of well-trained nursing staff.

Waiting times are also shortened as patients need only turn up half-an-hour before their surgery, and be checked into the ward within 10 minutes of arrival. 

Patients’ companions have the option of patronising Velocity, Square and Square 2 shopping malls that are seamlessly integrated with Novena Medical Centre, the building housing Novena Surgery.

I want to undergo knee meniscus repair surgery in Novena Surgery but I do not have a specialist doctor in mind yet.

This list consists of specialists who commonly perform knee meniscus repair surgery at Novena Surgery – contact us at +65-6254 9331 or admin@novenasurgery.com.sg and we will help you book a consultation appointment with a specialist doctor from the list.

Name of Specialist ClinicName of Specialist DoctorSpecialist Clinic AddressSpecialist Clinic Opening Hours
Orthosports Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports MedicineDr Tan Ken Jin38 Irrawaddy Road, #10-41, Mt. Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
Centurion
Orthopaedic Centre
Dr Ang Chia Liang38 Irrawaddy Road, Mt Elizabeth Novena Hospital Specialist Centre, #07-40, Singapore 329563Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
The Orthopaedic CentreDr Dennis NgMount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, 38 Irrawaddy Road, #09-42 Singapore 329563
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
The Orthopaedic CentreDr Tan Chyn HongMount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, 38 Irrawaddy Road, #09-42 Singapore 329563Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
Spire Orthopaedic CentreDr Ambrose YungRoyal Square
101 Irrawaddy Road, #18-03, Singapore 329565

Gleneagles Medical Centre
6 Napier Road, #08-04, Singapore 258499
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
Orthosports Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports MedicineDr Bryan Tan38 Irrawaddy Road #10-41, Mt. Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
Hip & Knee OrthopaedicsDr Adrian LauMount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, 38 Irrawaddy Road, #09-38, RM 2, Singapore 329563Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
Singapore Sports & Orthopaedic SurgeonDr Kevin Yip#02-10 Gleneagles Medical Centre, 6 Napier Road, Singapore 258499Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed