The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) will gather the global musculoskeletal community in New Orleans from Monday, March 2 through Friday, March 6, 2026, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Under the theme “Here, Moments Become Memories,” the meeting is expected to attract more than 14,000 surgeons, allied professionals, investors, and press. Over 650 companies will showcase implants, surgical robotics, navigation platforms, and biologics, making the exhibit hall the densest collection of orthopaedic innovation you will find anywhere in 2026.
AAOS offers a concentration of decision makers that no regional course can match: chief surgeons, service-line directors and hospital procurement leads walk the aisles in search of solutions they can take straight back to their operating rooms. Hands-on demonstrations allow clinicians to handle hardware, bend plates and test drill guides in person, creating instant product validation. Added media and investor attention from trade journalists to venture groups means a well-timed announcement can reach far beyond the convention center, especially if it coincides with the conference’s OrthoPitch competition.
Success starts as early as nine months out. Lock in booth space and lodging first, then develop orthopedic-specific buyer personas alongside content offers such as ACL-graft case studies or trauma-plating infographics. Rough booth layouts should follow quickly so that medical marketing graphics, lighting and demo stations align with the natural traffic flow.
At the six-month mark, shift outward: launch thought-leadership webinars tied to accepted AAOS abstracts and seed LinkedIn with #AAOS2026 posts from key-opinion surgeons.
In the final eight weeks, refine every touchpoint. Final 3D medical animations and interactive simulations need to be approved, the booth team must rehearse FDA-compliant messaging, and high-value prospects should already have calendar invites to “Ask-the-Surgeon” demo slots. Treat this period as a dress rehearsal; the smoother it runs here, the more you can adapt on site.
Surgeons expect more than static posters. Immersive training and VR experiences that show screw trajectories, ligament tunnels, or cage porosity give visitors a visceral grasp of your differentiators within seconds. Anatomically accurate medical illustrations, preferably custom renders rather than stock art, underscore a commitment to clinical realism. Print still matters, but make it interactive: QR-enabled brochures or NFC business cards let surgeons revisit technique videos back in the call room. Whatever the medium, maintain consistent branding, colors, iconography, and tone across booth panels, social graphics, and follow-up emails so each touchpoint reinforces the same brand memory.
Live surgical simulations remain the fastest way to turn heads. Streaming a cadaveric or saw-bones demo onto a large LED wall invites immediate hands-on participation as soon as the presenter finishes. Gamified lead-capture tactics, such as quick orthopaedic trivia quizzes with instant giveaways for high scores, boost booth traffic while enriching your CRM data. The OrthoPitch finals always draw a surge of foot traffic; even if you are not competing, sponsoring a viewing guide or hosting a watch-party coffee bar positions your booth as the logical next stop. Short “micro-talks” by faculty surgeons every hour keep energy high and provide social proof, while real-time analytics on dwell time, demo participation, and content downloads help you redeploy staff or adjust messaging before momentum fades.
Follow-up messages should land within 48 hours, while conversations are still vivid. Personalise each email by referencing the animation, suture device, or navigation workflow the visitor saw. Edit booth-demo footage into short surgical-pearls reels and release them as an AAOS 2026 Recap series to extend reach. When you return to the office, score your leads by combining engagement metrics such as badge scans, micro-talk attendance, and file downloads with territory data; this approach helps sales teams decide whether to pursue distributors or direct customers first. Conclude with an ROI review no later than two weeks after the meeting to compare lead volume, conversion rates, and cost per opportunity against previous years, thereby setting clear benchmarks for AAOS 2027.
Applications for the 2026 OrthoPitch technology competition are already open. Winners receive prime Innovation Theater slots, investor introductions, and valuable press coverage. Even if you decide not to enter, align your PR timeline with the competition’s announcement cadence. A press release issued the morning after finals can ride the same news cycle and amplify visibility.
From photorealistic implant animations to VR simulations and booth-ready medical marketing materials & signage, Ghost Medical translates complex orthopedic science into visuals that convert surgeons into advocates. Production calendars fill quickly ahead of a show as large as AAOS, so reach out now to secure studio time and ensure every asset is delivered, tested and refined long before the freight doors in New Orleans swing open. We have a specialized discount for medical marketing materials involving AAOS until October 2025. Check here to see if the discount is still available.
Ghost Medical is an award-winning leader in medical visualization, specializing in custom medical animation, medical marketing services, and surgical training solutions. We provide a comprehensive range of digital services designed to elevate medical marketing, enhance patient communication, and streamline staff training. With a team of highly skilled professionals and deep expertise in biomedical processes, we ensure precise and impactful representations of your device, product, or procedure through 3D animations, medical illustration, and other dynamic media formats. Contact Ghost Medical today to discover how we can help you train surgeons, boost medical device sales, or effectively communicate your pharmaceutical innovations.
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