AO ASIF Principles of Operative Fracture Treatment Course

The operative treatment of fractures and non-union; theoretical basis and practical principles.

The content of the basic course in 1999 will, like its predecessors, be based on an understanding of the AO principles of operative fracture treatment including the techniques as applied to the patient with a musculoskeletal injury.

Before the course, each participant will be sent learning guides on the different methods of fracture stabilization for preparatory study. At Davos, the program will commence with a review of the basic principles of operative fracture care including the AO principles, biology of healing bone, the influence of the soft tissue injury on fractures and the application of these principles to decision making and reduction techniques.

The spectrum of stability of fracture fixation will be examined through discussion, lectures and practical exercises. With an understanding of the principles of fracture healing, soft tissue injury and the various techniques of fracture fixation and their stability, decision making and preoperative planning are then introduced.

The management of fractures that are more commonly treated operatively is discussed based upon the principles that have been previously learned. Complications of fracture care and general topic relating to trauma management are introduced so that the participant has a broad understanding of the implications of fracture care and its problems.

There are also the traditional Davos features of "fireside" chats, a live transmission of fracture surgery from the Davos hospital and the opportunity to visit the AO center in Davos. The principal thrust 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, it is done properly based upon principles and appropriate preoperative planning and decision making.

Enrollment is open to Orthopaedic and General Surgeons. Long Island Jewish Medical Center designates this CME activity for a maximum of 33 credit hours.

OBJECTIVES

At the conclusion of this Course, the participant should be able to:

1. Demonstrate how the inter-relationship between the biology of bone healing, the nature of damage to the soft tissues, the pattern of the fracture and the response to surgical intervention can influence the process of care for an injured patient;

2. Discuss the various reduction and fixation modes available to achieve different and appropriate degrees of fracture stability together with the complications which can accompany them; 3. Illustrate how to implement these principles by the planning and application of AO techniques to fractures relevant to their level of skill and experience.

3. Illustrate how to implement these principles by the planning and application of AO techniques to fractures relevant to their level of skill and experience.

Preliminary Program

MONDAY

PART 1: Principles of Fracture Care

A. The Behavior of Bone