AO Alumni Association’s Russian Chapter celebrates 50 years of the AO

A total of 249 participants from 87 regions of Russia attended this conference.

They came from Kaliningrad in the west to Vladivostok in the east of the country.

Besides the Russian participants, more than 30 guests from different countries - Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Cyprus, Germany, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, and Ukraine took part.

Norbert Haas at the meeting

The International Conference Chairman andChairperson of the AO Trauma International Board, Prof Michael Wagner opened the proceedings.

Prof Chris van der Werken, Past-President of AO Foundation spoke about the first 50 years of the AO. This was followed by a speech by Dr A Volna, National Conference Chairman, which focused on the history and role of the AO in Russia.

At the scientific part of this event Prof Norbert Haas, President-Elect of AO Foundation, presented a new standard of intramedullary nailing of the tibia and the first results of treatment of distal humerus fractures with new implants.

Dr A Karlbauer, Head of the Polytrauma Hospital in Salzburg, Austria, introduced current approaches and advances in polytrauma management in Western Europe.

Prof A Lazarev spoke about treatment tactics in multiple pelvic injuries and Dr A Mironov tackled operative treatment of scapula fractures. The Russian and international speakers gave more than 40 lectures and presentations.

Additionally, there were five interesting and sometimes also controversial and heated discussions.

Prof Michael Wagner cutting the cake

At the end of the conference, the AO’s industrial partner Synthes Russia invited the participants and guests to a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau wine.

It was a very nice and collegial closing ceremony.