AO Trauma NA Blended Course - Basic Principles of Fracture Management (Aug 27 - 29, 2026)

AO Trauma NA Blended Course - Basic Principles of Fracture Management is organized by AO North America (AO NA) and will be held from Aug 27 - 29, 2026 at Marriott Marquis Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America.

Description:
This Blended Basic Principles of Fracture Management course is designed to provide the participant with a fundamental knowledge of the operative treatment of fractures according to the AO principles.

The four guiding AO principles of fracture fixation are:

• Anatomic reduction of the fracture fragments, particularly in joint fractures.
• Stable fixation to ensure proper healing of the fracture while allowing surrounding tissue to move and strengthen.
• Atraumatic surgical techniques to preserve the blood supply to the bone fragments and soft tissue.
• Early, pain-free mobilization returning the patient to function as quickly as possible.

This course will also cover the concepts of absolute and relative stability of soft tissue injury as applied, in context, for each limb segment’s major fracture types.

This course is the foundation for the AO North America 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.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants should be able to:

• Discuss the concepts of stability, their influence on bone healing, and how to apply implants to achieve appropriate stability
• Plan a treatment based on assessment, imaging, classification, and decision making
• Apply reduction techniques in fracture management with attention to the importance of the soft-tissue
• Apply related psychomotor skills to the practical application of orthopedic implants to fractured bones
• Plan the initial treatment of the polytraumatized patient

Blended Course Timeline:
Self-Study pre-recorded lectures and assessments - July 13 - August 7, 2026
(must be completed in its entirety to advance to the In-Person Small Group Discussions and Practical Lab)

Note:
All Self Study Material Must Be Completed by August 7, 2026 @ 8AM ET