The AO Technical Commission had already started evaluating implants for closure of cranial flaps following craniectomies in the 1990s. Furthermore, neurosurgeons had already been making substantial contributions to the activities of AOSpine since the beginning of this clinical division.
The restructuring of the AOTK System into three pillars of which CMF was one, had provided the ground for further exploration in this area. And in 2006, AOTK System (CMF) decided to create a dedicated Working Group that consisted of neurosurgical specialists only.
The members of this Neurosurgery Working Group (NEWG) included Christian Matula (Vienna, Austria); Geoffrey Manley (San Francisco, CA) and Stephen Lewis (Gainesville, FL), who immediately committed to the AO Foundation and its philosophies regarding surgeon-guided technology development with industrial partners.
1: Matula C, Kjærsgaard L, Di Ieva A. Watertight dural closure in brain surgery: a simple model for training. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg. 2014 May;75(3):241-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1342928. PubMed PMID: 23681920.
2: Matula C. Subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral vasospasm–facts and perspectives. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2000 Jun 16;112(12):519-22. Review. PubMed PMID: 10953869.
3: Matula C, Schoeggl A. Cerebral protection before, during and after neurosurgical procedures. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 2000;75(2-3):142-6. Review. PubMed PMID: 11740183.
4: Matula C, Rössler K, Reddy M, Schindler E, Koos WT. Intraoperative computed tomography guided neuronavigation: concepts, efficiency, and work flow. Comput Aided Surg. 1998;3(4):174-82. PubMed PMID: 10027491.
5: Matula C, Trattnig S, Tschabitscher M, Day JD, Koos WT. The course of the prevertebral segment of the vertebral artery: anatomy and clinical significance. Surg Neurol. 1997 Aug;48(2):125-31. PubMed PMID: 9242236.
6: Matula C, Roessler K, Burian M, Schuster H, Trattnig S, Hainfellner JA, Budka H. Primary neuroendocrine (merkel cell) carcinoma of the anterior skull base. Skull Base Surg. 1997;7(3):151-8. PubMed PMID: 17171025; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC1656637.
7: Matula C, Reinprecht A, Roessler K, Tschabitscher M, Koos WT. Endoscopic exploration of the IVth ventricle. Minim Invasive Neurosurg. 1996 Sep;39(3):86-92. PubMed PMID: 8892288.
8: Matula C, Tschabitscher M, Day JD, Reinprecht A, Koos WT. Endoscopically assisted microneurosurgery. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 1995;134(3-4):190-5. PubMed PMID: 8748780.
9: Matula C, Diaz Day J, Czech T, Koos WT. The retrosigmoid approach to acoustic neurinomas: technical, strategic, and future concepts. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 1995;134(3-4):139-47. PubMed PMID: 8748773.
10: Matula C, Czech T, Kitz K, Roessler K, Koos WT. Intra-operative marking of neuroanatomical details–helpful for radiosurgery? Acta Neurochir Suppl. 1995;63:5-8. PubMed PMID: 7502728.
11: Matula C, Tschabitscher M, Kitz K, Reinprecht A, Koos WT. Neuroanatomical details under endoscopical view–relevant for radiosurgery? Acta Neurochir Suppl. 1995;63:1-4. PubMed PMID: 7502717.