Cartilage Repair in the Knee: Part I

We are thrilled to bring you a special four-issue series in The Journal of Knee Surgery dedicated to Cartilage Treatment. Certainly, this topic is of the highest interest and importance to surgeons, researchers, industry, and most importantly, the end user—our patients. When Dr. Stannard invited us to be the guest editors for this series, we gladly accepted and set the following goals for this work:

Present a comprehensive, patient-based approach Include the science behind the surgery Engage the leading experts in the field to provide the most current and groundbreaking information to knee surgeons

In pursuing these goals, we hope to provide you with a landmark collection of articles that you will use as a valuable reference source for the clinic and laboratory alike.

In this first issue, we address the critical prerequisite steps of staging and comorbidities, as well as diagnostic imaging, which are so vital to optimal treatment planning and patient education. This issue also covers the extremely hot topic of the development and validation of biomarkers for early diagnosis, staging, clinical decision-making, treatment monitoring, and prognostication for cartilage pathology. These components are foundational to all algorithms for cartilage treatments for the knee, and this set of articles provides both current and future methods for optimal patient assessment prior to surgery.

Subsequent issues will provide the most recent thinking and data regarding current and emerging techniques for treating cartilage pathology in the knee, while always addressing the clinically relevant science for these surgical interventions. We will also explore cutting edge areas including Non-traditional Modification of Articular Cartilage, Scaffolds for Cartilage Repair, and Biologic Joint Replacement. The final issue will complete the continuum of care by covering postoperative management strategies and assessment of outcomes.

So, we invite you to join us in this literary journey through Cartilage Repair in the Knee, guided by the leading authorities in a full spectrum of topics that are vital to our understanding of this “Holy Grail” subject of our time.