Basic Principles of Fracture Management for Residents

This Basic Course is designed to provide the participant with a fundamental knowledge of operative treatment of fractures according to the AO principles. The four guiding AO principles of fracture fixation are: 1. Anatomic reduction of the fracture fragments, particularly in joint fractures; 2. Stable fixation to ensure proper healing of the fracture allowing surrounding tissue to move and strengthen; 3. Atraumatic surgical technique to preserve the blood supply to the bone fragments and soft tissue; 4. Early, pain-free mobilization returning the patient to function as soon as possible. The course will cover the concepts of absolute and relative stability, as applied in context, of the soft tissue injury for each limb segment’s major fracture types. This course is the foundation for the AONA curriculum, which teaches the surgeon how to manage trauma and trauma reconstruction. The goal of this course is not to advocate the treatment of all fractures by surgical fixation, but rather to help ensure that when surgery is carried out, that it is done properly based upon principles, appropriate preoperative planning, and decision making.