The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) returns to San Francisco this week for the first time in a dozen years for its 2024 Annual Meeting (Feb. 12-16).
 
More than 500 exhibitors will showcase their latest product innovations inside the 87-acre George R. Moscone Convention Center in the city’s downtown. Some of the technology on display includes robotic arms, smart orthopedic implants, 3D printed scaffolds, pain management therapies, and digital surgical planning tools, among others, from large OEMs and startups alike. Thousands of orthopedic surgeons are expected to attend the event (last year’s tally topped 10,000) to further their professional education and discover the latest technological advancements. AAOS President Kevin J. Bozic, M.D., is billing the meeting as “an energizing and enlightening week of education, innovation, and collaboration, all focused on advancing the field of orthopedics.”
 
Bozic is slated to hand over the presidential reigns on Feb. 14 to first vice president Paul Tornetta III, M.D., Ph.D., of Chestnut Hill, Mass., during the organization’s annual business meeting. At that time, Annunziato Amendola, M.D., will become first vice president (he’ll succeed Tornetta at next year’s meeting).
 
One of Bozic’s final acts as AAOS president will be to introduce Presidential Guest Speaker Sanjay Gupta, M.D., the Emmy Award-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN and host of the podcast “Chasing Life.” He is also the associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Ga. Gupta will address the academy before the presidency changes hands. “Dr. Gupta’s insights and expertise have made him a trusted source of information for millions of individuals worldwide, and his commitment to advancing medical knowledge aligns perfectly with our mission at AAOS,” Bozic states in his welcome letter within the Annual Meeting program. “
 
A returning favorite to this year’s meeting is the OrthoDome, a live surgical case video experience that aims to educate attendees about various procedures. Also returning are old standbys like the Innovation Theater, which offers live presentations of innovative products, services, and solutions; TechTalks, paper presentations, symposia, instructional courses, and Showdowns (where attendees determine winners of surgical debates).
 
New to this year’s meeting is OrthoPitch, the first-ever competition for novel orthopedic products. Presented by MCRA LLC and AAOS, OrthoPitch is touted as an “opportunity for companies to demonstrate new products and solutions” to industry experts. Four companies chosen from an applicant pool of more than 40 will present their respective technologies before a live audience and three-judge panel on Feb. 13 at 5:30 p.m.
 
The winner—chosen by the panel and audience members—will receive a host of rewards, including exposure to top seed and early-stage investors, physicians, strategists, and industry members; and a complimentary booth at next year’s Annual Meeting, among others. The four finalists competing in OrthoPitch are Biomedical Bonding AB, CytexOrtho, nView Medical, and Solenic Medical.