Now available: AO In-Hospital adds new fracture-related infection module

Long recognized as one of the most serious and distressing complications of operative fracture care, fracture-related infection (FRI) now joins AO In-Hospital’s suite of high-value, extremely interactive modules aimed at helping AO Trauma faculty organize in-hospital educational events for for their surgical staff. The new module, “Management of fracture-related infection,” is now available on the AO In-Hospital dashboard.

The new module is perfectly aligned with the AO’s leadership role in international efforts to combat FRI.

“With infection in the presence of a fracture fixation implant, the primary goals of treatment are fracture healing and prevention of chronic osteomyelitis. The administration of antibiotics without concomitant surgery usually fails to eradicate an infection, which may then evolve into chronic osteomyelitis,” said past AO Trauma Chairperson Kodi Kojima, and editor of the new module.

Learning objectives

At the end of this AO In-Hospital module, participants will be able to:

• Indicate the important interventions for preventing and diagnosing fracture-related infection in orthopedic surgery
• Describe the initial surgical approach, the technique for sample collection for cultures, the surgical debridement, and the dead space management
• Determine strategies for managing infections associated with implants in terms of retention and local management
• Develop effective communication with physicians from other specialties to manage antibiotics

Kojima said AO In-Hospital’s four original modules—"Acute compartment syndrome,” “Polytrauma,” “Management of open fractures,” and “Best practices in geriatric hip fractures”—have been successfully deployed by many AO Trauma faculty who have been waiting for new content.

“I want to thank our authors—Matheus Azi, Vincenzo Giordano, and Carlos Valderrama—for their excellent work and for so quickly bringing this content to life. I also thank Matheus for his leadership,” he said. “I am sure that this will be a very popular module.”

AO Trauma International Board Chairperson Wa’el Taha is confident that the new module has what it takes to help advance education for junior orthopedic trauma surgeons, residents, and general trauma surgeons.

“The module is very well prepared, with excellent material and knowledge,” Taha said.

Designed exclusively for AO Trauma faculty and launched in June 2022, AO In-Hospital is the stress-free way to organize high-quality, in-hospital training events. The free-of-charge, educational AO In-Hospital platform comprises of a library of ready-made and relevant surgical training modules, all easily accessible through the dashboard.

Each module includes:

• A pre-event assessment to identify the team’s educational needs
• Prereading material
• Didactic lectures
• Clinical case discussions
• Group discussions
• Optional practical exercises
• Post-event assessment and event reports to analyze the team's increase in knowledge

Upon completion of the pre- and post-event online assessments, participants receive certificates of attendance.