PORT ADELAIDE defender Ryan Burton has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against Fremantle after undergoing a minor surgical procedure on his knee.

Burton injured his left knee during the third quarter of Port Adelaide’s 75-point win over Adelaide last Saturday night.

Scans of the knee on Monday revealed a loose body in the joint, caused by the incident on Saturday night.

“We decided the best course of action for Ryan, was a minor clean-out of his knee, to remove this loose body and prevent it from causing any ongoing issues,” said Head of Medical Services, Tim O’Leary.

“We’ll allow the knee to settle and reassess it in the coming days, but all going well, we are optimistic that he will be available to return to play within three to four weeks.”

Port Adelaide will name its squad for the match against the Dockers at Metricon Stadium on Thursday night.

Burton is expected to travel to the Gold Coast with the squad on Friday.