Botman was injured in the second half of the Magpies’ 2-1 loss after he was accidentally kicked in the face by Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey.
The Dutch centre-half received lengthy treatment on the pitch, but was clearly concussed as he was helped off the field to be replaced by Malick Thiaw.
READ MORE:
Anthony Gordon: 'I can't believe we lost - Sunderland are not a very good team'
Eddie Howe's view on Premier League spending rules - and why his argument falls down
What Eddie Howe thought was 'unacceptable' - and his reaction to St James' Park boos
Post-match assessments revealed significant facial issues, and Botman underwent surgery yesterday to repair the damage.
He will begin his recuperation during the international break and is expected to remain sidelined for most of April, potentially ruling him out of matches against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Arsenal.
The hope is that he will be able to return at some stage in May, with Newcastle completing the season with matches against Brighton, Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Fulham.
In Botman’s absence, Thiaw is expected to resume his centre-half partnership with Dan Burn, with the pair having played alongside each other for most of the second half of Sunday’s game.
Fabian Schar should also be able to return at some stage before the end of the season though, with the Swiss defender having been sidelined since suffering a serious ankle injury in January’s win over Leeds United.
Speaking after Schar underwent surgery in mid-January, Eddie Howe said: “He had a successful surgery yesterday, which is great news. Everything went according to plan.
“I think it’s difficult to give a definitive [timeline], but around three months out will be the diagnosis we’ll work towards. If it’s any quicker, then great, but we need to give Fabian time to recover.”
Schar’s long-term future is uncertain, with the 34-year-old’s current contract due to expire in the summer.