What is the AIOD?

The “Association Internationale pour l'Ostéosynthèse Dynamique” (International Association for Dynamic Osteosynthesis) was created the 4th of December, 1986, in Strasbourg (France), by a group of traumatologists working at the Centre de Traumatologie et d'Orthopédie. The registered office is 16 rue du Parc at 67205 Strasbourg-Oberhausbergen. Contact information is as follows: Phone: + 33 (0)3 90 22 38 52, Fax: + 33 (0)3 90 22 38 51, E-mail: [e-mail]

The creation of this Association in Strasbourg was out of obvious necessity. In fact, the Centre de Traumatologie has a long experience of Küntscher's methods in closed intramedullary nailing, since 1945. After Küntscher, Klemm and Schellmann, starting in 1974, the Strasbourg group reached a leading position in the development of locking nails. The progressive steps of adapting instrumentation, the validation of the indications and clinical applications, basic biomechanics studies, the teaching of the surgical method by the organisation of courses, and symposia in 1976 and 1984 helped to precise the position. On the occasion of the “The Ten Years of Interlocking Nailing” symposium in 1984, the “Gerhard Küntscher Kreis” was an official guest.

After this “pioneer period”, it was necessary to branch out, due to demand and developmental issues, in other words, to create a well structured organisation. It was time then to create the AIOD! This Association is supported by royalties from the Grosse/Kempf Nail. It is an entity dedicated to organisation and oversight of activities on a global basis. The Association is supported by 2 full-time secretaries.

Our activities and focus are based on the principles and summarised in the term “Dynamic”. This term refers to a mode of osteosynthesis for the fixation of diaphyseal fractures that allows a certain degree of elasticity. This mode of fixation improves callus formation, and is in contrast to a philosophy that recommends total, rigid fixation with consolidation “per primam”, without callus, referred to by Danis as “the soudure autogène” (“the autogenous weld”).

In fact, our philosophy is totally based on the principles of Küntscher, which continue to be quite valid principles: stable fixation that allows motion, in some cases, and solid fixation that permits immediate weight bearing, both obtained by the use of an intramedullary device, placed by closed techniques.