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Private meniscal surgery in London, by a consultant knee surgeon.

Meniscal repair, partial meniscectomy, root repair or meniscal allograft - the right operation for your tear, done by a BASK-affiliated knee specialist. Preservation-first, with the honest conversation about when surgery is not the answer.

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A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private meniscal surgery costs in London.

Indicative ranges across our partner knee-surgery centres.

In short

£4,000–£7,000, home the same day.

Procedure Indicative range
Consultant knee opinion + MRI review £250–£450
Arthroscopy + partial meniscectomy £3,000–£6,000
Arthroscopy + meniscal repair (all-inside) £4,000–£7,000
Meniscal root repair (transtibial) £5,000–£8,000
Meniscal repair combined with ACL recon £8,000–£12,000
Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) £8,000–£14,000

Prices vary by hospital, by which surgeon does the case, by anaesthetic (GA plus block is standard), and by whether concurrent work - ACL reconstruction, cartilage repair, osteotomy - is added.

The problem

The right surgeon, the right operation, at the right moment.

Meniscal surgery is over-done in some knees and under-done in others. Degenerative tears in early arthritis go straight to arthroscopy; reparable tears get trimmed; root tears get missed. We correct all three before a scalpel comes near you.

  • Not sure it needs surgery?

    Degenerative tears with mild-to-moderate arthritis do better on physiotherapy - NICE NG226. We say so before booking theatre.

  • Reparable or not?

    Peripheral vertical tears in a young knee should be repaired, not trimmed. A preservation-first surgeon opens both options before consent.

  • Root tear or ramp lesion?

    Both are commonly missed. Untreated root tears accelerate arthritis; ramp lesions ruin ACL outcomes. We look for them.

When it helps

When meniscal surgery is the right step.

The tears we see most, plus the one important caveat - degenerative tears in early arthritis are a physiotherapy problem, not a surgical one.

  • Locking or a knee that will not straighten

    A displaced bucket-handle tear can physically block the joint - a surgical, not conservative, problem.

  • Catching or giving-way

    A flap of unstable meniscus caught between the joint surfaces - mechanical symptoms that rehab alone will not fix.

  • Sports tear with a positive MRI

    Twisting injury, joint-line pain, effusion, MRI-confirmed longitudinal or radial tear in a young active knee.

  • Posterior meniscal root tear

    A tear at the root behaves like losing the whole meniscus - untreated it accelerates cartilage loss. Root repair matters.

  • Meniscal tear alongside an ACL rupture

    ACL reconstruction is the moment to fix a reparable meniscus - the healing environment is favourable and the ramp lesion is checked.

  • Failed conservative treatment

    Three months of physiotherapy for a symptomatic, non-degenerative tear that will not settle - arthroscopy is reasonable.

  • Post-meniscectomy pain in a young knee

    Joint-line pain years after a meniscectomy, minimal arthritis, correct alignment - a meniscal allograft can be considered.

  • Not a red flag, but worth saying

    Degenerative meniscal tear with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis? NICE NG226 says physiotherapy first - arthroscopy adds little.

Procedure options

One tear, several ways to fix it.

What each option actually involves - and which tear pattern it fits. Anatomy matters: peripheral vascular (red-red) tears heal; inner avascular (white-white) tears do not.

  • Meniscal repair (all-inside)

    Arthroscopic device sutures (FasT-Fix, OMNI, Meniscal Cinch) deployed for peripheral tears in the vascular red-red zone. Preserves the meniscus.

  • Meniscal repair (inside-out)

    Sutures passed arthroscopically and tied through a small posteromedial or posterolateral open incision. Strong construct for long vertical tears.

  • Partial meniscectomy

    The unstable torn fragment is trimmed to a stable rim - as little tissue removed as possible. For irreparable, avascular or complex degenerative tears.

  • Root repair (transtibial)

    A posterior root tear is reattached by pulling sutures through a tibial bone tunnel. Critical: untreated root tears behave like a total meniscectomy.

  • Ramp lesion repair

    A posterior horn tear commonly missed with ACL rupture - addressed via posteromedial arthroscopic portal during ACL reconstruction.

  • Meniscal allograft (MAT)

    A size-matched donor meniscus transplanted for post-meniscectomy pain in a young knee. Bone-plug or soft-tissue technique. Specialist knee centres only.

  • Meniscal scaffold

    A biological scaffold (CMI, historic Actifit) implanted to fill a partial meniscectomy defect. Limited UK use - offered by a small number of surgeons.

  • Concurrent procedures

    Meniscal work is often combined - ACL reconstruction, cartilage repair, or realignment osteotomy - planned before the day and consented for.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Knee arthroscopy is one of the commonest orthopaedic day-case procedures. The things worth planning are the operation itself, weight-bearing rules, and knowing when a symptom is not normal.

  • GA plus regional block is standard

    Most knee arthroscopy is done under GA with a femoral or adductor canal block for post-operative pain relief. You are asleep and comfortable.

  • Meniscectomy: quick recovery

    Weight-bearing straight away, back at a desk in 1–2 weeks, driving at 2 weeks, running at 4–6 weeks. Rehab is straightforward.

  • Repair: patient recovery

    Partial weight-bearing 4–6 weeks, brace limiting flexion 0–90° for a month, no twisting or squatting for 3 months, sport at 4–6 months. Worth it - the meniscus is kept.

  • Root repair and MAT are protected

    Similar to meniscal repair but with strict early weight-bearing and range-of-motion restrictions. Rehab is longer - 6–12 months to full sport.

  • DVT risk is real but low

    Any knee arthroscopy carries a small VTE risk. Chemical prophylaxis is used where appropriate; walk early, hydrate, and know the signs of a calf DVT.

  • Re-tear happens

    Meniscal repair fails in 10–30% at five years - worse in older patients, avascular-zone tears, and chronic tears. Selection is everything.

  • Meniscectomy accelerates arthritis

    Removing meniscus - even a partial amount - raises the long-term risk of osteoarthritis, especially in young knees. Another reason to repair when possible.

  • NICE guidance matters

    NG226 (osteoarthritis, 2022): arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for a degenerative tear with mild-to-moderate OA is not routinely recommended - physiotherapy is equally effective.

  • Red flags after surgery

    A hot, swollen, increasingly painful knee, fever, or a swollen tender calf are not normal - call the clinic or A&E the same day.

Reading your operation note

Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever technique was used - repair, meniscectomy, root repair or MAT - the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant knee surgeon reviewing arthroscopy operation notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and tear pattern

    Why the arthroscopy was done, which meniscus, and the tear type - longitudinal, bucket-handle, horizontal, radial, root or complex.

  2. 02 Technique

    What was done to the meniscus

    Repair, partial meniscectomy, root repair, ramp repair, MAT - including devices used (all-inside sutures) and how much tissue was removed.

  3. 03 Findings

    Cartilage, ACL and associated injury

    Chondral surfaces graded, ACL and other ligaments inspected, any other pathology noted - the context that shapes your rehab.

  4. 04 Impression

    Rehab, weight-bearing and review

    Read this first: weight-bearing rules, brace settings, physiotherapy referral, driving, return-to-sport window and review timing.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Cover for meniscal surgery varies by insurer and by indication - usually funded when medically indicated with symptoms and imaging. Meniscal allograft transplantation may require pre-authorisation.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about meniscal surgery.

Quick answers on repair versus meniscectomy, root tears, MAT, recovery windows and NICE guidance.

  • Do I actually need meniscal surgery?

    It depends on the tear. Mechanical symptoms - true locking or a knee that will not straighten - usually mean surgery. A degenerative tear on an MRI with mild-to-moderate arthritis is different: NICE NG226 recommends physiotherapy first, and arthroscopy adds little. We help you tell the two apart.

  • Repair or meniscectomy - which will I get?

    That is decided at arthroscopy. Peripheral vertical tears in the vascular zone in younger patients are repaired where possible. Complex, degenerative or inner-zone tears are trimmed to a stable rim. A good surgeon aims to preserve tissue and will consent you for both options.

  • What is a meniscal root tear and why does it matter?

    A tear where the meniscus attaches to the tibia. Biomechanically it behaves like losing the whole meniscus - the joint loses its shock absorption, and untreated it accelerates arthritis. Root repair (a transtibial pull-through) is a proper indication, not optional.

  • How much does private meniscal surgery cost in London?

    Roughly £3,000–£6,000 for arthroscopy with partial meniscectomy, £4,000–£7,000 for meniscal repair, £5,000–£8,000 for a root repair, and £8,000–£14,000 for a meniscal allograft transplantation. Combined ACL reconstruction and meniscal repair is £8,000–£12,000.

  • How long is recovery after a meniscectomy versus a repair?

    Meniscectomy is quick - full weight-bearing on day one, desk work within 1–2 weeks, running at 4–6 weeks. Repair is slower - protected weight-bearing for 4–6 weeks, brace-limited flexion, no twisting for three months, sport at 4–6 months. The extra rehab is the price of keeping your meniscus.

  • Can meniscal repair fail?

    Yes. Re-tear rates are 10–30% at five years, higher in older patients, chronic tears, and tears in the avascular white-white zone. Selection matters - a good knee surgeon will not repair a tear that will not heal. If it fails, a further arthroscopy is straightforward.

  • What is a meniscal allograft transplantation?

    A size-matched donor meniscus transplanted arthroscopically into a knee that has had most of its meniscus previously removed. Used for young patients under 50 with post-meniscectomy pain, minimal arthritis, correct alignment and ligament stability. Graft survival is around 75% at ten years. Only offered at specialist knee centres.

  • Do I need physiotherapy before surgery?

    For a non-locked knee with a degenerative tear - yes, three months of specialist knee physiotherapy first is the evidence-based approach. For a mechanically blocked knee, or an acute tear with a positive MRI in a sporting knee, physiotherapy is not going to unblock it and surgery is reasonable sooner.

  • When can I drive after knee arthroscopy?

    After a partial meniscectomy: usually 1–2 weeks, once you can perform an emergency stop safely. After a meniscal repair, root repair or MAT: often 4–6 weeks, sometimes longer, guided by weight-bearing status and brace use. Insurers require you to be in full control of the car.

  • When should I see A&E urgently?

    A hot, red, increasingly painful knee, a spiking temperature, or a swollen, tender calf (possible DVT) after knee surgery all warrant same-day medical review - do not wait for the routine appointment.

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