AO Trauma Masters Course—Shoulder Trauma
Participants will learn the current management of patient pain, dysfunction, deformity, and cosmesis related to trauma of the shoulder. Fractures from the sternoclavicular joint to the humeral shaft will be covered as well as joint injuries and dislocations and soft-tissue injuries (the acute trauma phase and the posttraumatic sequelae such as malunion, nonunion, infection, etc).
This course is aimed at orthopedic and trauma, and shoulder surgeons with at least 5 years of experience who want to update their expertise and want to manage complications and more complex cases.
Participants should have completed the AO Trauma Courses—Advanced Principles of Fracture Management and must be able to communicate well in English.
Why you should choose this course
Course content
- Module 1—Clavicle
- Module 2—Scapula
- Module 3—Proximal Humerus
- Module 4—Humeral shaft
Clavicle:
- Failed treatment of a diaphyseal clavicle fracture
- Failed lateral clavicle fracture
- AC ligament injury
- Malunion of clavicle
- Sternoclavicular joint dislocation
- Medial clavicle fracture
Scapula:
- Displaced scapular body fracture
- Floating shoulder
- Anterior instability (anterior glenoid fracture or /labral avulsion)
- Articular glenoid fracture
- Fracture of the spine/coracoid/acromionProximal humerus
Proximal humerus:
- Displaced scapular body fracture
- Floating shoulder
- Anterior instability (anterior glenoid fracture or /labral avulsion)
- Articular glenoid fracture
- Fracture of the spine/coracoid/acromion
Proximal humerus complications:
- Loss of reduction - (Failed tuberosity fixation with a focus on prevention)
- Implant cutout
- Intraarticular screw penetration
- Failed nonoperative treatment
- Avascular necrosis
- Nonunion (operative)
- Nonunion (nonoperative)
- Tuberosity malunion
- Humeral head malunion
Anterior exposures to the clavicle
- Landmarks and exposure for lateral and medial clavicular fractures and AC joint/SC joint, with particular attention to the supraclavicular nerves, the AC and CC ligaments, and deltotrapezial fascia
- Exploration of neurovascular structures around the clavicle, including the supraclavicular plexus and vascular structuresPosterior exposures
Anterior exposures to the humerus
- Landmarks and exposure using deltopectoral approach, exploring the infraclavicular plexus, then take down the skin and determine how you can visualize the proximal humerus using an anterolateral approach
- Interdeltoid approach (deltoid split)
- Extend the deltopectoral incision to visualize the anterolateral humeral shaft (relation of musculocutaneous and median nerve and brachial artery)
- Advanced anatomy: explore the pectoral muscle and 2-piece tendon and pectoral nerves, axillary nerve exploration
- Anterior approach to the glenohumeral articulation
Posterior exposures to the scapula
- Landmarks and posterior approach for scapular fractures, with particular attention to suprascapular and axillary nerves and glenoid and lateral column/scapular body exposure
Posterior exposures to the humerus
- Posterior approach to the humerus: exploration of radial nerve
Course details may be subject to change. Please check your chosen date and location for the detailed program.
Target audience
- Orthopedic, trauma, and shoulder surgeons with at least 5 years of experience who want to update their expertise and want to manage complications and more complex cases.
Course impressions
Competencies
The curriculum is based upon 7 competencies:
- Perform an appropriate assessment of the patient with trauma to the shoulder, humeral shaft, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand
- Identify the minimal quality requirements for each assessment tool and the optimal way to gather the required information
- Perform a thorough, stepwise analysis of the problem (what is the mechanical, biological, and soft tissue situation and problem)
- Identify the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment options and decide with the patient which is best for their specific needs
- Develop a comprehensive plan based on the needs of the patient, the injury, the patient factors, and the available surgical options
- Complete the plan (perform operative procedures and nonoperative care)
- Provide and communicate overall care, integrating the team, family, and supporting care system
What does competency-based curriculum development mean?
Upper extremity education taskforce
The upper extremity education taskforce is a group of experts who build and continously improve our educational program. It consists of three international program editors (IPEs).
Joyce Koh (Singapore)
Term: 2025–2027
George Dyer (USA)
Term 2026–2028
Pedro Labronici (BR)
Term: 2024–2026
Regional Program Contributors (RPCs)
Asia Pacific
Kevin Yik (Singapore)
Lia Marliana (Indonesia)
Europe and Southern Africa
Lars Müller (Germany)
Fernando Marco (Spain)
Middle East and Northern Africa
Raid Abutalib (Saudi Arabia)
Hashem Abdulwahab Issa Al Qdhah (Jordan)
Latin America
Luis Ocha (Mexico)
Caio Zamboni (Brazil)
North America
Andrew Choo (USA)
Jonah Davies (USA)
Past taskforce members
Pedro Labronici
Sami Roukoz
Ashraf Moharram
Paul Binhammer
Stefaan Nijs
Martin Richardson
Odette Koch
Diane Nam
Joyce Koh
George Dyer
Martin Hessmann
George Dyer
Kevin Yik
Jae-Woo Cho
Brian Buck
Gregory Della Rocca
Michael McKee
Joyce Koh
Jayasankar Perur Viswanathan
Alejandro Espinosa Gutierrez
Martin Richardson
Sami Roukoz
F.P. du Plessis
Ali Alsuwaidi
Ziyad El-Qirem
Fang Zhou
Frédéric Vauclair
Jorge Boretto
George Dyer
Raid Abutalib
Diane Nam
Andrey Ratyev
Zinon Kokkalis
Christian Lozano
Pablo Vargas
Hashem Al-Qdhah
Lars Müller
Fernando Marco
Luis Ochoa
Caio Zamboni
Andrew Choo
Jonah Davies
Lia Marliana
Jing Yik
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