This book is a comprehensive and thorough compilation of work from across the world that documents the state of the art in assessment and management of the patellofemoral joint. While a wide range of surgical techniques for different pathologies are described, attention is also devoted to conservative treatment and approaches involving mesenchymal stem cells, autologous chondrocyte implantation, platelet-rich plasma, and pulsed electromagnetic fields. Anatomy, clinical examination, and methods of evaluation are discussed, and individual chapters address important miscellaneous topics, including rehabilitation, complications of surgery, injuries in specific patient populations, and scoring systems. Though patellofemoral joint pathology is a frequent clinical problem, its management remains challenging for the orthopaedic surgeon. The editors believe that this book, published in cooperation with ISAKOS, will assist in improving understanding, diagnosis, and treatment for future patients.

Alberto Gobbi, MD, is a distinguished Italian specialist in Orthopaedics and Traumatology and in Sports Medicine, with a long-standing international reputation in the field of arthroscopic surgery, cartilage repair and regenerative medicine and leading roles in prestigious medical societies, after a unique experience as an athlete and physician on the Italian Olympic Committee. A former member of the Board of Directors and now Deputy Chair of the Education Committee of ISAKOS, he is the current Secretary General of the International Cartilage Repair Society (I.C.R.S.). Dr. Gobbi also chairs the Orthopaedic Arthroscopic Surgery International (O.A.S.I.) Bioresearch Foundation Gobbi Onlus, a not-for-profit organization accredited by the Italian Ministry of Health and recognized as an International Teaching Center by ISAKOS and ICRS. The O.A.S.I. Bioresearch Foundation promotes innovative scientific investigations on cartilage, joint aging, and sports lesions through a network of fellows and scientists from all over the world. Dr. Gobbi is on the editorial board of Cartilage , the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, the Journal of Knee Surgery as well as principal reviewer for the American Journal of Sports Medicine, Knee Surgery and Sports Traumatology , Clinical Orthopaedics Related Research, the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Orthopaedics and BMJ Open . Dr. Gobbi has authored more than one hundred peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

João Espregueira-Mendes, MD, PhD , has been Professor of Orthopaedic Traumatology and Chairman of the Orthopaedic Department at Minho University, Portugal, since 2005. In addition, he is Director of Saúde Atlântica and Clínica Espregueira-Mendes, FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, FC Porto Dragão Stadium, Porto, Portugal. His further posts include Senior Researcher in Biomaterials, Biodegradables, and Biomimetics in the Department of Polymer Engineering at Minho University Dr. Espregueira-Mendes is current President of the European Society of Knee Surgery, Sports Trauma and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) and also President of the Education Committee and Executive Board Member of ISAKOS. He is a member of the editorial board of Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy.

Norimasa Nakamura, MD, PhD, is an orthopaedic surgeon and Professor at the Institute for Medical Science in Sports, Osaka Health Science University, Osaka City, Japan. He has been a Professor at the institute since 2009 and is also Invited Professor at the Center for Advanced Medical Engineering and Informatics and Department of Orthopaedics, Osaka University. Dr. Nakamura is the Vice President of the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) and Chair of the ISAKOS Scientific Committee. He also serves on the Boards of the Japanese Orthopaedic Society of Knee, Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine. In 2013 Dr. Nakamura was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England ad eundem . He is a member of the editorial boa