Recommended knee arthroscopy or meniscus surgery
Evidence on meniscus surgery has shifted over the past decade. A second opinion can help you understand where you fit.
What you have probably been told
You have likely been told that an MRI shows a meniscus tear, and that keyhole surgery (arthroscopy) to trim or repair it has been suggested. This is often accompanied by pain, catching, locking or swelling in the knee. Some people are told surgery is the obvious next step; others are told it may or may not help, without a clear sense of which applies to them.
What a second opinion looks at
Professor Lee reviews the scan report and images, your history and how your symptoms behave, and examines the knee to see whether the mechanical symptoms (catching, locking, giving way) actually match a tear that surgery is likely to fix, as opposed to background wear that surgery would not change. Age, the pattern and location of the tear, and whether there is underlying arthritis all affect how likely surgery is to help, which is why two knees that look similar on paper can reasonably get different advice.
The realistic range of outcomes
Outcomes vary genuinely by case. For a clear mechanical tear causing locking or catching in an otherwise healthy joint, surgery may well be confirmed as the right option. For a degenerative tear found alongside early arthritis, physiotherapy and time are often at least as effective as surgery, and that may be the advice instead. In some cases repair rather than trimming is discussed, since repair preserves more of the meniscus where possible. As with any of these pages, confirming your existing plan is a legitimate and useful outcome.
This is a common reason for a second opinion
Meniscus surgery is one of the more common reasons people ask for an independent view, precisely because the right answer depends so much on the individual pattern of tear, age and joint condition rather than a single rule. Asking for a second opinion here does not mean you doubt your surgeon; it means the decision is genuinely close enough to be worth a second look. Whether the appointment confirms the original plan, suggests trying physiotherapy first, or raises a repair option instead of trimming, you leave with a clearer picture of why that advice fits your knee specifically.
Questions worth asking
- Is this a mechanical tear likely to respond to surgery, or a degenerative one that might not?
- Would repair be possible instead of trimming, and does that change recovery?
- What would physiotherapy alone realistically achieve here?
- Is there early arthritis in this knee, and does that change the advice?
- What happens if I wait and try non-surgical treatment first?
What to bring
Bring your MRI images and the written report (on disc or via a secure link), any X-rays, clinic letters, and details of physiotherapy or other treatment already tried. See preparing for your appointment for a full checklist.