AO Technical Commission Innovation Awards

 The AO Recognition Award is awarded by the AO Foundation's supervisory body, the AO Foundation Board, to honor individuals within the AO Technical Commission who have had significant involvement with the AO Foundation throughout their career and made a meaningful impact to product innovation and patient care.

Keith Mayo, MD, of Washington, USA, is the worthy recipient of the 2024 Recognition Award. He has been an active member of the AO Technical Commission (AO TC) since 1991, with roles including membership of the Pelvic Expert Group, the Computer Assisted Surgery Working Group, the AO TC Trauma and the Next Generation Plating Task Force. Additionally, he showed exceptional leadership as Chairperson of the Pelvic Expert Group between April 2005 and June 2015.

As a highly experienced and world-renowned orthopedic and trauma surgeon, Keith’s involvement with the AO TC began with the conceptual design and development of the Pelvic System, which comprises innovative implants and instruments to address nearly every aspect of pelvic and acetabular surgery. More recently, his vast experience and inventive mind have guided the AO TC’s collaborative partnership with key industry partners and upheld the AO TC’s quality monitoring role via the approval of new solutions indicated for the area of Trauma.

Keith has consistently demonstrated true innovation in product development via his inclination towards disruptive technologies, often supporting substantial adaptations to surgical techniques and procedures if the result is improved functional outcomes for his patients.

In addition to his practical ability to drive the development of new solutions, Keith is an outstanding teacher, excelling as a keynote lecturer at AO TC Trauma Experts Symposia and imparting decades of knowledge and experience as an AO educator at pelvic courses. In particular, his students appreciate his sharing of tips and tricks for complex surgical situations.

The AO TC honored Keith Mayo for his unflagging dedication to the improvement of patient care by supporting research and development, fostering clinical evidence, and conveying his knowledge and experience to the next generation of surgeons via educational courses.