Spinal deformities

AO’s trusted education and award-winning clinical tools

AO Spine deformity courses as well as the Global Spine Diploma modules are developed and taught by world-leading experts, based on latest evidence, and provide skills that spine surgeons need for the future.

AO is regarded as one of the world’s most trusted providers of surgeon education and innovative research. Our flexible, well-guided learning methods—hands-on, self-paced online, and hybrid—provide clarity on best practices in adult and pediatric spine deformities.

With AO Spine’s resources and courses on deformity, spine surgeons will learn to make accurate diagnosis, evaluate risks, and provide best available treatment for each patient.

Find the right course focus at the right time

AO Spine deformity courses and educational events

Enhance your surgical skills with AO Spine, on life-like bone models or human anatomical specimens, and benefit from the knowledge and expertise of world-leading masters in this field. Courses are based on the AO Spine curriculum framework. Training is delivered concise and ready to be applied into clinical practice on the level of your current experience.

AO faculty have access to the Faculty Resource Center, where they can find all the cases, lectures, and lab plans to deliver the course.

AO Spine Course—Deformity: Key Concepts and Techniques

Two-day hands-on course for surgeons starting in treatment of adult and paediatric spinal deformities.

AO Spine Course—Deformity: Advanced Techniques and Complex Cases

Two-day hands-on course for surgeons wanting to improve their skills in treating complex deformity cases.

Global Spine Diploma

The GSD program is aimed for recently graduated surgeons who are looking for comprehensive knowledge on key spine pathology domains.

The deformity module is an 8-week online module covering adult and paediatric spinal deformities.

AO Davos Courses

AO’s annual flagship event offers three advanced courses addressing deformity:

Degenerative Lumbar Spine: from MIS Fusion to Complex Deformity and Revision
Cervical Spine: Dealing with Complex Deformity and Revision Problems

Mastering Fundamental Techniques in Spine Surgery

AO resources for managing spinal deformities

AO Surgery Reference

AO Surgery Reference is a resource for the management of fractures and treating spine patients, based on current clinical principles, practices, and available evidence.

AO ASD Patient profile

AO Spine Adult Spinal Deformity Patient Profile allows clinicians to systematically consider relevant factors that could contribute to optimal management of the condition.

AO Spine videos and webinars

A vast collection of AO’s digital learning and teaching material, webinars, and event coverage for educational purposes. Full access members only.

AO original research and publications on spinal deformities

AO Spine Knowledge Forum Deformity

A world-leading study group creating and translating new knowledge to improve patient care, to provide a common language and framework for researchers and clinicians.