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Dr Dave Lee

Designations:
  • Head & Senior Consultant, Division of Sports, Shoulder & Elbow Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National University Hospital
Qualifications:
MBBS, MMed(Ortho), FRCS(Tr&Ortho), FAMS
Specialties:
Orthopaedic Surgery (Bones, Joints & Spine)
Sub-Specialties:
Shoulder & Elbow Surgery, Sports Medicine & Surgery
Special Interests:
​Knee surgery, sports-related shoulder, elbow and knee injuries

Biosketch

Dr Dave Lee is a graduate of National University of Singapore Medical School. He completed his orthopaedic specialist training in 2009. Under the Singapore Ministry of Health Scholarship, he underwent a sports surgery fellowship in Louisville, USA; where he was involved in the surgical care and rehabilitation of professional and elite NCAA College athletes. This was followed by a lower limb surgery fellowship in Heidelberg, Germany; focusing on lower limb reconstructions and joint preservation surgery.

Dr Lee specialises in arthroscopic repair of knee and shoulder with a special interest in knee preservation. Over the last 12 years, he has performed more than 3000 arthroscopic surgeries of the knee, shoulder, ankle and hip. This includes over 1500 knee ligament reconstructions and over 400 knee preservation procedures as osteotomies, meniscus transplants, cartilage repair and reconstructions.

Dr Lee uses cutting edge surgical techniques to return athletes to previous level of sports. He understands that a team approach involving the surgeon, sports physicians, physiotherapists, athletic trainers and psychologists is critical for optimal recovery after a sports injury.

He is frequently invited to lecture at regional and international sports meeting on knee repair. He has been involved as organising chair or teaching faculty in over 30 local and overseas cadaveric workshops.

Awards

​Dr Lee has been awarded the Japan Orthopaedic Association Fellowship 2005, Singapore Orthopaedic Association N Balachandran Prize 2008, APKASS- ESSKA Fellowship 2010, CGH Gold Caring Award 2014 and Singhealth Silver Award 2018.

Journals & Publications

  • Thor J, Lim G, Hui HPJ, Lee YHD. Do meniscus repairs with meniscus cyst do better than menisectomy? A systematic review of meniscus cyst treatment. Annals of Joint. Ann Joint 2023;8:8
  • C Shetty, Lee YHD Concomitant medial and lateral meniscus posterior horn root repair with ACL reconstruction. Arthroscopy Techniques. Accepted Oct 2022
  • D Pardiwala, YHD Lee. Arthroscopic Biological internal bracing for remnant repair for subacute ACL femoral avulsions. Journal of ISAKOS Accepted Oct 2022
  • Fong FJ, Ong B, Lee YHD. Medial meniscus Extrusion is significantly increased in Meniscus Root tears : A systematic review and metaanalysis. OJSM. Accepted Oct 2022
  • Thor J, Lee YHD, Tapasvi S, Beyzadeoglu T. Short graft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Current concepts. Journal of ISAKOS online Oct 2022
  • Bong SYG, Lee YHD.  Injectable Scaffold with Microfracture using the AMIC Technique: A Prospective Cohort Study. Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal. Accepted Mar 2022
  • Lee YHD, K Satku Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction- The learning continues. Singapore Medical Journal accepted Jan 2022
  • Wang M, Lee YHD Repair Technique for displaced meniscus flap tears indicated by MRI comma sign. Arthroscopy Techniques Jan 2022 
  • Law GW, Lee YHD, Gupta S, Hui HPJ Arthroscopic Saucerisation and repair of discoid lateral meniscus. Journal Pediatric Orthopedic Society North America 3:4, Nov 2021 
  • Goh MH, Lee YHD , Teo R, Nyland J. Kinesiophobia relates to decreased sports capability perceptions, altered gait following ACL reconstruction. Muscle, Ligament and Tendons Nov 2021; 11(4): 584-92
  • Bong SYG, Lee YHD Concurrent medial and lateral bucket handle meniscal tear repair in a chronic ACL-deficient knee: a case report. Annals of Joint  Nov 2021
  • Ai CC, Lee YHD, Tan XH, Tan SHS, Hui HPJ, Goh JCH Osteochondral tissue engineering: Perspectives for clinical application and pre-clinical development. J Orthopedic Translation 2021; 20 :93-102
  • Lim ZX, Lee YHD  Retiming return to sports after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction to minimum of 12 months after surgery. Annal Academy Medicine 2021; 50: 657-9
  • Shih S, Kuo CL, Lee YHD. MPFL reconstruction corrects patella alta – A cohort study. European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology. Online Jun 2021
  • Goh JKM, Tan TJ, Kon KKC, Leo PMS, Lee YHD All-inside repair of Bucket handle meniscus tears – Mid term outcomes with post-operative MRI .The Knee 2021 30:195-204
  • YB Tan, KL Puah, R Chong, KL Ong, YJ Lim, YHD Lee Return to sport and patient satisfaction arthroscopic Bankart repair : A single institution experience . Singapore Medical Journal 2021 1-15 ( online Apr 2021) 
  • Heng HYC, YHD Lee Single stage Arthroscopic Cartilage Repair with Gel Scaffold and BMAC . Video Journal Sports Medicine Surgical Technique Video 2021 1(3) 
  • Yuen WLP, Kuo CL, Goh J, YHD Lee Technique for All-inside repair of Bucket handle meniscus tears. Arthroscopy Techniques 2021 Mar; 10(3): e743–e750
  • Heng HY C, Snow M , YHD Lee. Single stage Cartilage repair with injectable Scaffold and BMAC. Arthroscopy Techniques 2021 Mar; 10(3): e751–e756
  • Zhu M, YHD Lee, Williams A Safe Femoral Fixation Depth and Orientation for Lateral Extraarticular tenodesis in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.  Orthopedic Journal Sports Medicine Jan 2021; 9(1)
  • YHD Lee, Feng H, Tapasvi SR, Yoon KH, Uchida S, Posterolateral Corner Surgery. Tips and Tricks from Asia surgeons . ISAKOS Newsletter 2020 Vol 2: 30-33
  • Han XYA, Tan TJ, Tiep NN, Lee YHD Timing of MRI affects the accuracy and interobserver agreement of anterolateral ligament tears detection in ACL deficient knees. Knee Surgery & Related research Nov 2020; 32(1) :64
  • WD Mao, YHD Lee  All-inside Techniques for meniscus radial root repair Arthroscopy Techniques 2020 9;10: e1439-1633
  • KJD Tay, YHD Lee Trauma & Orthopedics in the COVID-19 pandemic ; breaking every wave Singapore Medical Journal  2020 61(8):396-398
  • Yuen WLP, YHD Lee  Posterolateral Corner Reconstruction in the Multiligament Injured Knee : State of art Asian Journal Arthroscopy  Apr 2020; 4(1): 12-18
  • DW Mao,U Upasana, T Srikiran, YHD Lee All-Inside Lateral Meniscal Repair via Lateral Portal Increases Risk of Vascular injury: A Cadaveric Study Arthroscopy  2020 36(1) .225-232
  • Parween, R., Shriram, D., Mohan, R. E., Lee, YHD, Subburaj, K. Methods for evaluating effects of unloader knee braces on joint health: a review. Biomedical Engineering Letters, 2019
  • Shriram, D., Yamako, G., Chosa, E., Lee YHD, Subburaj, K. Effects of a valgus unloader brace in the medial meniscectomized knee joint: a biomechanical study. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, 14(1): 44, 2019
  • Shriram, D., Kumar, G. P, Cui, F., Lee YHD, Subburaj, K. Evaluating the effects of material properties of artificial meniscal implant in the human knee joint using finite element analysis. Scientific Reports, 7(1):6011, 2017
  • K Wong, A Han, Wong LYJ,  Lee YHD. Magnetic Resonance Inaging for Concomittent meniscus and cartilage injuries in ACL deficient knees- How reliable is it? KSSTA (2017 ) 25 : 411-417
  •  Lee YHD, R Kuroda, Chan KM.  ACL reconstruction – A Global Perspective from Megallan Society in 2015. Asia Pacific Journal of Sport Medicine, Arthroscopy, Rehabilitation and Technology 2015 1-7 (Online) 
  • Wang C, Lee YH,  Siebold R. Reccomendations for management of septic arthritis after ACL reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2014;22(9):2136-44
  • Nyland J. Lee YHD, McGinnis M.,  Kibbe S., Burden R., Caborn D. ACL double bundle linked cortical-aperture tibial fixation: A Technical Note. Archives of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery 2014; 134(6):835-42
  • Lee YHD , Ferzan Suzer, Hajo Thermann.  Autologous Matrix-Induced Chondrogenesis in the Knee : A Review. Cartilage Journal 2014;5: 145-53
  • Lee YHD, Rainer Siebold, Paessler HH.  Implant free ACL reconstruction – A Review. Archives of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery 2014; 134(3) 395-404
  • Lee YHD, Leong OK, Karim SA, Chong CH. Tibia Tunnel enlargement 5 years after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructions- A radiographic and functional evaluation European J Ortho Sports Trauma 2014; 24:217-23 
  •  Lee YHD, Nyland J, R Burden, Caborn DMN. Biomechanical Testing of Three Different Meniscus Repair Devices in a peripheral meniscus tear Am J Sports Med 2013; 41: 1074 – 81
  • Hans Passler, Dave Lee. History of ACL graft fixation. Techniques in Orthopedics 2013; 28:120-5
  • YHD Lee Comment on” Mechanical assessment of two different methods of tripling hamstring tendons when using suspensory fixation.  Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy  2013; 21(8) : 1949-50 
  • Chin YC, Wijaya R, Chong LR, Chang HC, Lee YH. Bone Bruise patterns in knee injuries: where are they found? European J Ortho Sports Trauma Sep  2013 ( Online)
  • Breland R, Nyland J, YHD Lee, Culy D, Burden R, Caborn D.Outside-In Continuous suturing is superior to interrupted suturing for reparing peripheral meniscus lesions: An In Vitro Biomechanical study using a porcine model. Arthroscopy Journal 2013; 29(12) : 1974-1980
  • Lee YHD, Caborn DNM. Outside –In Meniscus repair – the last 25 years. Sports Medicine Arthroscopy Review 2012;  20(2) 77-85 
  • Lee YHD, Nyland J, Kendzior M, Nawab A, Caborn DNM. Intra- versus Extratunnel fixation of Hamstring Autograft for ACL Reconstruction:  Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the last 10 years. Arthroscopy 2012; 28(10) : 1555-66
  • Lee YHD, Nyland J, Caborn DMN. Flexible Drilling of ACL Reconstruction Femoral Tunnels:  Must We Still Hyperflex the Knee? Arthroscopy 2012; 28(10): 1381-7
  • Lee YHD, Caborn DN. Arthoscopic Meniscus Transplant with No Bone Block with anatomical insertion of meniscus foot print. Surgcal technique. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy  2012; 20(5) :904-908
  • Lee YHD, Nyland J ,McKee P, Caborn DNM. Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Sports Knee. Review. SportsHealth 2012; 4: 252-7
  • Anoka N, Nyland J, McGinnis M, Dave Lee, Doral MN, Caborn DMN. Consideration of growth factors and bioscaffolds for treament of combined grade II MCL and ACL injury. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy  2012; 20(5)
  • Lee YHD, Nyland J, R Burden Caborn DMN. Cyclic Test Comparison of All-inside Device and Inside-Out Sutures for Radial Meniscus Tear Repair:  An In Vitro Porcine Model Study. Arthroscopy Journal 2012; 28(12): 1873-81
  •  Loo WL, Lee YHD, Soon YHM Plasma Rich in Growth factors to treat adductor longus tear. Annals, Academy of Medicine Singapore Aug 2009
  • Lee YHD , Sarina Abdul Karim, Chang Haw Chong. Return to Sports After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction –  A Review of Patients with Minimum 5-Year Follow-up. Annals, Academy of Medicine  Singapore Sports Medicine Edition Apr 2008 37(4 )273-8

Professional Memberships

​Dr Lee represents Singapore on the  boards of International Society Arthoscopy Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS), Asia Pacific Knee Arthroscopy Sports Society (APKASS), Asean Society Sports Arthroscopy (ASSA) and Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA) Sports Section.



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