Looking at the history of the AO, the development and progression of new and existing techniques in combination with new implants and instruments already was a focus of the AO founders 50 years ago. One year later a very successful cooperation with the first industrial partner was established to have the surgeons’ ideas realized as products.
The AO TK (TK= German “Technische Kommission” = Technical Commission) was then put in place to ensure that a defined process is followed during the development of new techniques and technologies, instruments, and implants.
Today there are three specialty groups: AOSpine TK, AO TK CMF, and AO TK Trauma. The AOSpine TK became the first of these three departments to have their own guidelines and to design their own “Innovation Process”. This new regulatory framework allows us now to address specific requests from spine surgeons, industrial partners and legal bodies in a much more dedicated way.
The AOSpine TK today can look back on numerous diverse long term collaborations on different levels. The vast experience of bringing together surgeons, researchers, and engineers to focus on specific problems has proven most beneficial for the patient.
The AOSpine TK activities today can be divided into three areas:
○ Generate and evaluate new ideas and concepts
○ Transform ideas into products and new treatment standards
- Consultancy services for our industrial partners
○ Product feasibility/handling/improvements
- Quality assurance of safety and effectiveness based on clinical evidence
○ New techniques
○ New technologies
○ New designs and design adjustment loops
The AOSpine TK system has two structural elements:
AOSpine TK (AOS TK)
The governing body is the AOSpine Technical Commission Group. It consists of 5+ members:
- AOS TK Chairperson
- The Chairpersons of the four expert groups
- A maximum of two additional mandates if a need is identified
The AOSpine TK gives the final AO approval for products that went through the AOSpine TK innovation process accompanied by the respective Expert Group
Expert Groups
To ensure that the projects follow the AOSpine innovations process in a most dedicated way, there are expert groups that recommend new techniques and technologies in their specialty field as a result of the different projects to the AOSpine TK for AO approval.
The four expert groups are:
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Fusion |
Deformity |
Non Fusion |
Access & Navigation |
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For more specific or peripheral areas, project related task forces, working, or study groups can be appointed.
The AOSpine development process (simplified version)
The development process of the AOSpine TK follows the latest regulatory requirements for a process-oriented quality assurance system. As it follows the basic steps of general product development, it is fully integrated in the processes of our industrial partners. The milestone system also makes the process more flexible, so that eg, for pure design adjustments, quality assurance or success control only single modules are requested.
How can I interact?
The AOSpine TK is always open to discuss new ideas from anybody who is prepared to share them with us for discussion, a second opinion, identifying possible weak points, etc, regardless of if it is a new technique, new or improved instrumentation, or simply a different approach to solving existing problems. The AOSpine TK can look back on several very successful cooperations with industrial partners, universities, and researchers in the areas of instrument and implant development, new minimal invasive approaches, computer navigation, and new materials.
For further information please contact
Florian Beutter
Manager Technical Commission
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