Early osteoarthritis is novel topic for orthopedic surgeons and its process begins immediately after joint injury. The mechanical restoration of the joint surface or ligamentous stability is not sufficient to restore the homeostatic environment in the joint, and this leads to osteoarthritis, despite mechanical stability and alignment. This book sheds light on the various mechanisms and systems involved in the gradual decline of the injured joint toward manifest osteoarthritis.

Published in collaboration with ISAKOS, this volume appeals to all stakeholders in surgical orthopaedics and sports medicine.

<p><b>I Definition and Epidemiology

1 </b>Definition of  "early Osteoarthritis"
2 Early signs of OA in x-rays
3 MRI measures of early OA - the ACL-OA score
4 Relaxometrie as early measure of OA
5 Epidemiology of Osteoarthritis and the importance of early onset-Katz (or delegate)
6 Economic aspects of early OA
7 Frequency, Epidemiology and Cost of ACL injuries
8 The human ACL injury model of early OA
9 The risk of early OA after joint fracture
10 The clinical manifestation of early OA
II <b>Basic science aspects of the disease process
11 </b>Biomechanics of instability and its relationship to OA
12 Fluid dynamics and rheology in the arthritic joint
13 How does articular cartilage actually break down?
14 Early OA after tibial plateau fracture in the rat
15 Matrix degradation after injury
16 Collagen breakdown in hip and knee joint over time
17 Inflammation after ACL injury
18 The role of the "Inflammatype"
19 Immune response and early OA
20Macrophages in early OA
21 Vesicles and MSC's
III <b>Clinical Treatment of early OA (non-op)
22 </b>Early clinical manifestations of early OA
23 When is a chondral defect relevant?
24 Role of cortisone in the treatment of early OA
25 Viscosupplementation in early OA
26 The role of PRP in early OA
27 What is the current role and promise of stem cell therapy in early OA
28 Role of iPS cells for OA?
29 Fat derived stem cells
30 BMAC
IV <b>Clinical Treatment of early OA (operative)
30 </b>The role of alignment in the treatment of early OA
31 Meniscus injury and early OA, when to operate, when to repair, when to resect?
32 Role of arthroscopic debridement, microfracture or washouts
33 Osteochondral allograft for early OA
34 Cell based procedures for early OA
35 Chondral defect repair using a coral based implant
36 Options for Early Osteoarthritis treatment in the Shoulder.<b></b></p>