Surgical Priority 5 from the Early Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis PSP

UNCERTAINTY: In people with early OA does timing affect the outcome for non joint replacement surgery e.g. osteotomy, arthroplasty?  (JLA PSP Surgical Priority 5)
Overall ranking amongst surgical questions 5
JLA question ID 0041/5
Extra explanatory note Original question: "Assuming surgery for osteoarthritis is necessary, does its timing affect the outcome?" 'necessary' was considered inappropriate so removed in the reworded question
Outcomes; Measures for surgical priorities should reflect changes in tissue, patient and cost effectiveness
Evidence None identified
Health Research Classification System category Musculoskeletal
Extra information provided by this PSP
Original uncertainty examples Is it better to operate sooner rather than later to avoid muscle wastage and deterioration?  ~  Is it better to have the operation now, whilst I'm healthy, or later when things are worse?  ~  Why do i keep getting told I'm too young for a hip replacement?  ~  At what point does a replacement become necessary?
Submitted by 21 patient/carers, 10 clinicians and 3 carer/clinician
PSP information
PSP unique ID 0041
PSP name Early Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis
Total number of uncertainties identified by this PSP. 52  (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop 26 February 2016