Knee Surgery in Singapore

Dr. Jeffrey Chew Tec Hock, Orthopedic Surgeon, Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Parkway East Hospital, Singapore

I like doctors that are passionate about what they do, and Dr Jeffery Chew Tec Hock, Orthopedic Surgeon at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Parkway East Hospital in Singapore, is one of those doctors.

Trained in Mayo Clinic, Dr Chew is a specialist in hip and knee surgery, and leads a team of five orthopedic specialists that cover all major areas of orthopedic surgery -- spine, sports, shoulder and elbow, trauma. The office walls are plastered with pictures of stars and star athletes who have travelled the world to be treated by Dr Chew and his team.

As you would expect, Dr Chew’s CV is extensive and his numbers are impressive. Dr. Chew has performed over 1000 joint replacement surgeries, AND co-developed the rotating knee replacement device for DePuy that is used by orthopedic surgeons around the world. He is a Member of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and recipient of the Knee Society Insall Traveling Fellowship in 2005.

Credentials aside, what I find interesting about Dr Chew is his approach to medicine and joint disease. One, this is a doctor who enjoys surgical challenges and prefers to use his surgical skills to tackle complex cases that “nobody wants”, like infected joints and revision surgery. Two, this isn’t a “knife happy” orthopedic surgeon. He sticks to the three R’s -- repair, restore and return to function -- and is a frontrunner in the use of platelet rich therapy as well as knee and meniscus cartilage replacement therapy.

When I asked Dr Chew about new therapies and technologies, he pointed to three areas. The first is custom made prosthetic devices that are specific to the unique anatomy of the individual. These, he said, would ensure better fit and function in joint replacement surgery. The second is stem cell therapy, which he believes is the “next wave” in medicine. The third is nanotechnology, which has the power to rebuild damaged parts of the human body.

But Dr Chew was equally quick to emphasize the importance of using evidence, not theory, when deploying new technologies and therapies. “Ethical” is a word he uses often when discussing new applications. That’s important to Dr. Chew who says a doctors’ reputation is like glass -- easily shattered when dropped.

Passionate, competent AND ethical. A winning combination.

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