AO Technical Commission Meet the Experts
Excellence in innovation on display.
This popular format offers the opportunity to learn about the AO Technical Commission's most recently approved medical devices and to explore hot topics in trauma and orthopedic surgery. The sessions showcase clinical benefits of innovative devices and surgical techniques which are so new that they have not yet been included in AO course programs.
In an engaging series of stage shows featuring practical demonstrations, expert surgeons who are directly involved in the development of new implants and instruments present clinical cases and explain the benefits of new solutions for patient care. The sessions are streamed live and available thereafter on our website.
Meet the Experts 2025
Explore latest innovations in orthopedic surgery with our experts.
VOLT™ Wrist Treatment System
Expert surgeons Alex Lluch, Martin Llanger Sudhir Warrier present new components of the VOLT Wrist Treatment System, including the rationale for the new system and a discussion of the advantages of VOLT™ over VA LCP two-column distal radius plates. Novel design elements of new plates are highlighted including the distal radius two column rim plate, which features a hook design to hold volar lip fragments, the volar ulnar corner plate, the volar radial column plate and the wrist spanning plate. The surgical demonstration covers plate insertion and an explanation of indications.
TriALTIS™ - Next Generation Thoracolumbar System
Expert spine surgeons Rick Bransford and JP Wolinsky present the unmet clinical needs addressed by the TriALTIS™ Core & Revision Spine Systems, including improved procedural efficiency and enhanced mechanical performance. The presentation outlines the scope of the new pedicle screws, rods and connectors, highlighting the benefits of novel design features and showing promising biomechanical test results. The presenters also outline the smooth interaction of the new implants and instruments with enabling technology, including power tools and navigation. The workflow for cement augmentation is also explained. The surgical demonstration shows instrumentation of L3 – pelvis on a spine model, including pedicle screw insertion, and the fixation of rods and connectors.
Meet the Experts 2024
VOLT™ Mini Fragment and VOLT™ Small Fragment Plating Systems
Presented by experts Christoph Sommer and Karl Stoffel, the session introduces the VOLT™ Mini Fragment and VOLT™ Small Fragment Plating Systems including the new plate and screw designs available in stainless steel and titanium across all sizes. The session emphasizes standardization for improved operational efficiency, enhanced soft-tissue preservation, and innovative features like adaptive plate profiles, high-polish surfaces, and advanced locking mechanisms. The demonstration includes enhanced implants and instruments including the threaded drill sleeve, depth gauge, and new screw types, showcasing improved handling, strength, and compatibility. Procedures for complex fractures are shown, such as the use of hook plates for medial malleolus fixation, with live demonstrations of reduction, fixation, and plating techniques.
VOLT™ Wrist Treatment System
Expert surgeons Martin Langer and Alejandro Lluch demonstrate the VOLT™ Wrist Treatment System, a comprehensive plating solution designed to address the entire spectrum of wrist fractures. The session highlights features of the new technology, including standard volar and dorsal fixation for basic fractures, specialized plating options for more complex fractures, dedicated implants for elective procedures, and wrist-specialized instrumentation. The practical application demonstrates how the new technology allows fixation of very distal wrist fractures without invading articular space or causing postoperative soft-tissue concerns. The presenters emphasize how the new system allows low-profile plating with exceptional stability, and how the enhanced design facilitates the entire surgical procedure, offering easier fracture reduction, plate placement, and screw insertion.
VOLT™ Proximal Humerus Plating System
Expert surgeons Simon Lambert and Joyce Koh highlight design innovations in the VOLT™ Proximal Humerus Plating System, including the incorporation of Variable Angle Optimized Locking Technology (VOLT™) and self-locking screws, features which enable precise placement and enhanced outcomes for proximal humerus fractures, particularly in small-statured patients. The session includes a live demonstration of a deltopectoral approach, showcasing surgical techniques for exposure, plate positioning, and screw placement. Enhanced features such as low-profile screw heads, improved suture placement options, and variable angle screw trajectories are emphasized for reducing complications like acromial impingement.
MatrixSTERNUM™ Fixation System
Featuring a live demonstration of the MatrixSTERNUM™ Fixation System, led by expert cardiothoracic surgeons Mario Gasparri and Stefan Schulz-Drost. The session begins with an overview of the clinical challenges associated with traditional sternal closure methods, such as the use of wires, which carry risks of failure and complications like sternal dehiscence and wound infections. The presenters emphasize the benefits of rigid plate fixation, which include increased stability, reduced postoperative pain, and improved healing. The demonstration showcases the system’s innovative design, featuring low-profile titanium plates, locking screws, and specialized instruments for precise application and contouring. The discussion also addresses concerns about adoption, such as procedural safety, time efficiency, and compatibility with patient anatomy, alongside strategies for rapid reentry in emergencies. The session concludes by highlighting the system’s potential to improve surgical outcomes and reduce complications in high-risk cardiothoracic patients.
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Distal Radius Intramedullary Nail (DRIM-Nail)
Schweizer, Martin Langer, and Alejandro Lluch demonstrate the Distal Radius Intramedullary Nail (DRIM-Nail), an intramedullary implant indicated for unstable A3 and A2 extraarticular fractures of the distal radius. The presenters highlight how the design features of the new nail address various clinical complications which may follow fracture fixation using current state-of-the art techniques, including closed reduction percutaneous pinning (CRPP) and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) techniques. The session includes a practical demonstration of nail insertion using both a bone model and a prefractured anatomical specimen. The presenters conclude by highlighting a range of clinical cases successfully treated with the DRIM-Nail.
Find all Meet the Experts sessions here.
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