Advanced Fracture Repair 4: Minimally-Invasive Fracture Repair (October 2025)

Course Description

The concept of biological internal fixation has been predicated for years with the goal of maximizing preservation of the blood supply to the fractured bone. This trend resulted in new implants and new techniques that allowed surgeons to approach fracture fixation with smaller, less invasive approaches. The principal concept is to gain access to the bone via small incisions away from the fracture zone, thus preserving blood supply to the fracture fragments. Minimally invasive surgical approaches reduce pain and minimizes trauma to the soft tissues leading. The small incisions provide a means of inserting a bone plate and placing screws to achieve stabilization and osteosynthesis. Methods of fracture reduction are included using the technique of indirect fracture reduction. Participants will learn different techniques to perform minimally-invasive fracture repair using MIS approaches with and without intraoperative imaging.

The technique of minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) describes the stabilization of a fractured bone with a bone plate and screws which are applied without performing an extensive open surgical approach to directly expose, reduce and stabilize the fracture. When MIPO is performed, the fracture segments are aligned using indirect reduction techniques in a closed fashion. Small plate insertion incisions are made over the anticipated (intended) locations of the proximal and distal ends of the bone plate. A tunnel is developed adjacent to the fractured bone, beneath the overlying soft tissues. The plate is inserted through the tunnel and fixed in place with bone screws inserted through the plate insertion incisions. MIPO techniques can result in superior preservation of blood supply to the fracture site, less disruption of supporting soft tissue structures, and potentially a faster return to function and more rapid bone healing than would be achieved with an open surgical approach to facilitate bone plating.

This course will familiarize participants with minimally-invasive fracture repair of shaft, articular and periarticular fractures of the humerus, radius/ulna, femur and tibia. Following lecture and case review, participants will repair fractures on plastic bone models and cadavers. Postoperative radiographs will be taken to evaluate the participants repair technique.

Day 1 Shaft Fractures

8:00 Welcome & Introductions

8:05 Minimally-Invasive Repair of Shaft Fractures – MIPO Techniques

8:30 Tibia Fracture Repair using MIPO Technique

8:50 Femur Fracture Repair using MIPO Technique

9:15 Break

9:30 Laboratory 1: Comminuted Tibia Fracture MIPO Repair (Plastic Bone and Cadaver) – IM Pin and Bone Plate

11:00 Laboratory 2: Comminuted Femur Fracture MIPO Repair (Cadaver) – IM Pin and Bone Plate

12:30 Lunch

1:15 Radius Fracture Repair using MIPO Technique

1:35 Laboratory 3: Comminuted Radius Ulna Fracture MIPO Repair (Cadaver) – IM Pin and Bone Plate

3:00 Humerus Fracture Repair using MIPO Technique

3:20 Laboratory 4: Comminuted Humerus Fracture MIPO Repair (Plastic Bone and Cadaver) – Double Plate using Alignment Pin

5:30 Conclusion of Day 1

Day 2 Articular and Periarticular Fractures

8:00 Review of Day 1 Radiographs

9:00 Break

9:15 Elbow fracture repair using MIPO Technique

9:45 Laboratory 5: Elbow Fracture MIPO repair (Cadaver) – Headless Compression Screw/Lag Screw, Bone Plate

12:00 Lunch

12:45 Distal Periarticular Tibial Fracture MIPO Repair

1:10 Laboratory 6: Distal Tibial Periarticular MIPO Repair (Plastic Bone and Cadaver) – Double Plate

2:45 Physeal Fracture Repair using MIPO Technique

3:00 Laboratory 7: Distal Femur Physeal Fracture Repair with MIPO (Plastic Bone and Cadaver) – K-wires

4:45 Wrap up discussion

5:00 Conclusion of Course

This unique facility is nestled on 1.4-acres in the quaint mountain town of Park City and is home to the Bark City Veterinary Specialists practice and Nexus Park City. The property has been newly renovated but retains its rustic mountain charm. Bark City is home to the renowned veterinary orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Brian Beale.

Included in Your Experience

When participating in a course at Nexus Park City, you can expect the following amenities to be included.

• Complimentary lunch
• All general/specialty instrumentation used in each course
• Instructor’s course notes

Visit Us 5373 UT-224, Park City, UT 84098
Call Us 435.200.2161
Email Us ce@nexus.vet