Knee Surgeon Sydney
Expert in Mako RoboticKnee Replacement
Dr John Limbers is a knee surgeon in Sydney consulting at The San Clinic in Wahroonga on the Upper North Shore. His current knee practice is focused on osteoarthritis, Mako robotic partial and total knee replacement, and selected revision knee replacement.
Dr John Limbers
MBBS (Hons 1) · BSc (Med) · FRACS · FAOrthA
Experience
25+ years
of orthopaedic surgical experience
Hip & knee replacements
5,000+
completed
Mako robotic procedures
3,000+
Mako robotic-assisted hip and knee replacements
Knee arthritis in Sydney
Knee arthritis usually develops gradually.
Pain on stairs, stiffness after sitting, swelling and reduced walking tolerance can lead people to change their routines long before they consider seeing a surgeon. The important question is not simply how the X-ray looks, but how much the knee is affecting sleep, mobility, work, exercise and everyday life.
Dr Limbers assesses the pattern of arthritis and the condition of the ligaments as well as symptoms and function. Some knees with isolated arthritis may be suitable for partial replacement, while more widespread arthritis is generally treated with total knee replacement. Other patients are best managed with continued non-surgical care.
About Dr Limbers
Dr Limbers has more than 25+ years of orthopaedic surgical experience and has completed more than 5,000+ hip and knee replacements.
He was the first surgeon in New South Wales to perform a Mako robotic total knee replacement outside the technology’s pre-release clinical assessments.
He is also a contributor to the RASKAL Study Group, which conducted the Australian registry-nested randomised trial of robotic-assisted knee replacement and functional alignment. That experience gives him a practical as well as research-based understanding of what robotic technology can and cannot currently be claimed to improve.
Areas of Expertise
What Dr Limbers assesses and treats.
Knee osteoarthritis
Isolated medial, lateral or patellofemoral compartment arthritis where partial replacement may be suitable
Multicompartment arthritis where total knee replacement may be considered
Persistent knee pain, stiffness, swelling and reduced function despite non-surgical care
Pain, stiffness or instability after previous knee replacement
Loosening, wear, infection, fracture or other failure of a knee replacement
Key Operations Performed
Key operations performed.
- Mako assisted
Mako Partial Knee Replacement
Partial knee replacement preserves the unaffected compartments and cruciate ligaments where they remain healthy. It can provide a more conservative reconstruction for carefully selected patients, but it is not appropriate for widespread arthritis and carries a higher revision rate than total knee replacement in registry data.
- Mako assisted
Mako Total Knee Replacement
Total knee replacement replaces the worn surfaces across the knee when arthritis is more extensive. Dr Limbers combines CT-based Mako planning with assessment of ligament tension and movement so the component position can be individualised before bone preparation.
- Mako assisted
Mako Revision Total Knee Replacement
Revision knee replacement is performed for a defined problem affecting an existing knee replacement, such as loosening, instability, infection, wear, fracture or selected cases of severe stiffness. Investigation is important because pain can arise from causes outside the implant and revision is not appropriate without a clear diagnosis.
About Mako Robotic Surgery for the Knee
Mako knee replacement begins with a CT-based three-dimensional model.
Dr Limbers uses this to plan implant size and position, then checks the knee in theatre and can adjust the plan according to alignment, movement and ligament tension before bone preparation.
The robotic arm constrains the cutting tool to the planned area and improves the accuracy and consistency with which the plan is executed. In RASKAL, robotic-assisted surgery did not produce superior patient-reported clinical outcomes to computer navigation at two years, although the robotic group had shorter operating time and better preservation of the posterior cruciate ligament. Functional alignment reduced the need for soft-tissue releases.
This distinction is important. Robotic technology improves precision, but it does not replace surgical judgement and it does not guarantee that every patient will recover faster or achieve a better long-term result.
About Sydney Adventist Hospital for Knee Surgery
Dr Limbers performs Sydney knee replacement surgery at Sydney Adventist Hospital in Wahroonga.
San Bone & Joint provides dedicated orthopaedic facilities and Mako technology for robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement.
The hospital’s enhanced recovery pathway begins before admission with prehabilitation education for joint replacement patients. During the stay, orthopaedic nursing and physiotherapy teams support early mobilisation and preparation for discharge.
If a patient needs more rehabilitation after knee replacement, the San has both inpatient and day rehabilitation services. Facilities include a physiotherapy gymnasium, hydrotherapy pool and multidisciplinary rehabilitation team. This allows the amount of support to be matched to the individual rather than assuming every knee replacement follows the same recovery pathway.
Key Orthopaedic Surgical Experience
More than choosing a technology.
First NSW surgeon to perform a Mako robotic total knee replacement outside pre-release clinical assessments
Contributor to the RASKAL registry-nested randomised trial
More than 3,000+ Mako robotic-assisted hip and knee replacements
Mako partial, total and selected revision knee replacement
A practice focused on hip and knee arthritis and joint replacement
Choosing a knee surgeon involves more than choosing a technology. Dr Limbers combines extensive joint replacement case experience with the ability to offer partial, total and revision options, so the operation recommended is based on the pattern of disease rather than a single procedure being applied to every knee.
Consulting Locations
In Sydney
Wahroonga
The San Clinic
Suite 403, Level 4, 185 Fox Valley Road
Wahroonga NSW 2076
Book an Appointment Today
Appointments for knee arthritis, Mako partial or total knee replacement, and assessment of a painful or failed previous knee replacement are available at The San Clinic in Wahroonga on Sydney’s Upper North Shore.
For Sydney appointment enquiries, call 0498 260 549. Dr Limbers sees privately insured patients, self-funded uninsured patients and eligible DVA patients.