Patellar Tendon Surgery in 2023

Dr. Pamela Mehta, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon, San Jose

A patellar tendon tear is where the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone ruptures. This tendon is a fibrous band that can tear during a knee injury or during sports. Your patellar tendon can tear partially or completely. Most cases need knee surgery to repair the tendon.

In this article, we will discuss the surgical treatment for this condition, known as “patella tendon repair”.

If you want to know more about patella tendon rupture, check out our page on patellar tendon tears. You can also check out our information on the recovery timeline from patellar tendon surgery and how to speed it up.

What is Patellar Tendon Repair Surgery?

Patella tendon repair surgery is an operation on the patellar tendon. The patellar tendon usually connects the kneecap (patella) and shinbone (tibia). When this is torn, your surgeon will reconnect these two bones.

It’s likely that you’ll need surgery to regain knee function if you have a complete patellar tendon. People who need surgery do better if the repair is performed soon after the injury. Early repair may prevent the tendon from scarring and tightening.

There are two main types of patellar tendon surgery:

Transosseous Repair

In transosseous repair, the surgeon attaches sutures to the ruptured tendon. They then drill small holes in the kneecap and thread these through the holes to reattach the end of the tendon to the patella.

Suture Anchor Repair

In suture anchor repair, the surgeon uses small implants, known as “suture anchors” – small metal screws with a loop on the end. These anchors are implanted into the patella. Sutures from the tendon are then threaded through the loops. This helps to reattach the patellar tendon in a similar way to a transosseous repair.

The type of tendon repair that is used will depend on the location and severity of the tear. In general, we use transosseous repair for tears that are close to the kneecap. We use suture anchor repair for tears that are further away from the kneecap. This may be more complicated if there are other associated knee injuries.

After surgery, your knee will be immobilized in a brace or cast. You will generally stay in the hospital for one to two days, though day-case procedures are possible. The recovery time after surgery is typically six to twelve weeks.

Anesthetic for Patellar Tendon Surgery

For this surgical procedure, you will need to have an anesthetic. Options include:

Spinal anesthetic – numbing you from the waist down
Regional anesthetic – just numbing the affected leg
General anesthetic – putting you to sleep

These anesthetics will affect the recovery time, discomfort, and the procedure’s length. Dr. Meta will discuss with you the best anesthetic for your procedure.

Surgical Complications

Potential surgical complications of patellar tendon surgery vary depending on how the procedure is performed and risk factors specific to your medical background and demographics (such as age, sex, mobility etc.). Some complications of patellar tendon repair include:

Infection
Bleeding
Nerve damage
Persistent knee pain

Book a Consultation with Dr. Pamela Mehta, MD

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Patellar Tendon Surgery Cost

The cost of patellar tendon surgery varies depending on the location and other factors, such as:

The doctor you see
The reason for the surgery
Type of anesthesia used
Length of stay in hospital
Your individual healthcare needs
Whether you have healthcare insurance

At Resilience Orthopedics we offer concierge care that is personalized to your needs. We understand that your treatment needs are unique, physically and emotionally. This individualized approach means that the cost of patellar tendon surgery can vary.

If you are considering patellar tendon surgery, you can discuss the cost with our team to find out how your insurance can cover it. To get an estimate for your situation, please contact our office.

How Resilience Orthopedics Can Help

Dr. Pamela Mehta is an orthopedic surgeon and a specialist in sports injuries, degenerative arthritis, and minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Mehta offers a concierge service and treats you holistically, rather than just fixing your joints. She listens to your concerns, takes time to explain how your condition and potential surgery will affect you, and works with you to create the best treatment plan.

Resilience Orthopedics is based San Jose, California. To make sure you get the right diagnosis and treatment the first time, get in touch to begin your journey to recovery.

Testimonials

Ruby G.

2021-07-30

My experience with Dr Mehta was simply phenomenal. I had a cyst on my wrist and severe shoulder pain. Dr Mehta scheduled me quickly and her staff were so kind and personable. She discussed the treatment plan with me in detail and made me comfortable with plan. Her bedside manner was kind, empathetic and thoughtful and she went out of her way to make me feel comfortable. After treatment my shoulder was pain free after months of agony, and she removed the cyst from my wrist. She followed up with me the next day to make sure I was ok. I can't recommend Dr Mehta highly enough, high quality, comfortable treatment from a wonderfully skilled surgeon. Thank you Dr Mehta!

S G.

2020-07-29

I highly recommend Dr. Pamela Mehta. I was recently helped by her for a broken bone that needed surgery. She is a very detailed-oriented and thorough orthopedic surgeon who thinks creatively about solving problems every step of the presurgery, surgery and recovery. She is top-notch. I had an extremely positive experience with her and would recommend her and her staff to anyone seeking a smart, professional and detailed team for a bone cast or orthopedic surgery.

Samantha L.

2020-06-14

When your children like to run around barefoot it is inevitable that they will eventually get something lodged into their foot. Our daughter was climbing some trees in our backyard and wedged a couple splinters deep in her foot. After a few hours of attempts at home to remove these splinters with our own tweezers, soaking the feet, various internet remedies (and lots of scared screaming from our daughter when we got near her with tweezers) we sought the help of Dr. Mehta. Dr. Mehta's kind and calming approach was most helpful when she quickly examined the foot, spoke with our daughter, and then removed the two splinters from her foot. She helped to keep our daughter calm during the procedure and deftly pulled out the splinters. We recommend Dr. Mehta to anyone needing an expert physician who can deal with delicate patients!

Michele G.

2020-06-14

Dr. Pamela Mehta earned my highest MD review. I have seen a half dozen surgeon's involving multiple surgeries for orthopedic injury and this doctor checks all the best boxes: * an emphatic listener * holistic 'whole person' treatment; much more than just a skilled surgeon * tightly networked to other excellent coordinating care MD's * recommends surgical alternatives whenever possible * real concern for functional patient outcomes * tough when needed, even when treatment is uncomfortable * solid, well organized support staff Thank You Dr. Mehta!

Aaliya Y.

2020-06-09

I consulted Dr. Mehta after breaking my ankle in December 2019. She was extremely empathetic, knowledgeable, and took her time to explain everything to me so that I had a good understanding of my fracture and management options. She held my hand and got me comfortable with the idea of surgery and allayed my fears. Her office was very responsive, timely and worked efficiently to help me get my imaging done in an expeditious manner. I highly recommend her for her incredible bedside manner, empathy and level of expertise. She is exactly what you want in your surgeon.

Katrina A.

2020-02-12

Life is full of mishaps and great relationships. I had one really big mishap and happily stumbled into a a wonderful relationship. I've been blessed to cross paths with the beautiful professional Dr. Mehta and her wonderful staff. In a time when pain seriously interferes with manners. They were kind and gracious even when I was not. The of staff everything they we always great.

Mike V.

2020-01-10

The best! I have been going to Dr Mehta for years and she is second to none! Highly recommend

A T.

2019-12-01

This review is long overdue from a very happy and ever so grateful patient! I was having major shoulder pain to the point where I couldn't raise my left shoulder. I decided to go to Dr. Mehta after a friend recommended me to her. Dr. Mehta was very attentive during our initial apt. She was quickly able to diagnose the root cause of my shoulder issue and explained the how and why I ended up with this pain. Her treatment plan involved me doing various mobility exercises and after two weeks I can honestly say I am at least 50% better. I think a few other Yelp reviewers mentioned this but I have to say it again, Dr Mehta truly cares about her patients and it was very apparent from how she followed up with my recovery. She called and emailed me to make sure I was following the plan and kept up with all my progress. I'm not sure how Dr Mehta finds the time to do all this but after my experience with her, I can say with certainty that she is a very skillful doctor and I have 100% trust in her.

steve k.

2019-11-22

I had a great experience my one time meeting Dr Mehta. She walked me through what the problem was and the course of action to fix it. She laid things out calmly with a step by step of how we get me back to 100% with no future pain. Her calm demeanor and thorough explanation made me feel at ease that everything would work out fine. I followed the steps provided and everything did work out just as she'd laid out. Should something come up again I will definitely be going to Dr Mehta again.

gajan t.

2019-11-19

I write only a few Yelp reviews a year, and hope that this will help anyone who is trying to find the right orthopedic doctor. I went to 3 orthopedic doctors when I had a serious knee issue earlier this year. Although, I received good advice from all the doctors, I chose Dr. Mehta because she spent a considerable amount of time helping me to understand the root cause of my knee pain and then created a blueprint moving forward of preventative measures. She was definitely very insightful in her diagnosis and more importantly her treatment. What actually inspired me to really write this yelp review was because of her follow up calls and how much I realized that she really wanted to see me get better. I've been to many good doctors in the bay area but only a handful that offer this much personalized care. I highly recommend Dr. Mehta and happy to talk to anyone about my experience if you trying to decide on an orthopedic doctor.

Patellar Tendon Surgery in 2023

Dr. Pamela Mehta, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon, San Jose

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