Many Firsts
Dr. Ommaya's invention, the Ommaya reservoir, was the first subcutaneous reservoir that allowed for repeated intrathecal injections. Before his invention patients had to suffer repeated lumbar punctures for intrathecal drug administration. Spinal angiography was pioneered by Ommaya, Di Chiro, and Doppman. This work allowed for the visualization of arteries and veins and allowed for understanding of spinal cord arteriography. The same team reported the treatment of spinal cord AVMs by percutaneous embolization of an intercostal artery using stainless steel pellets. This was one of the first reports of interventional neuroradiology.
Dr. Ommaya's models and work in traumatic injury were foundational to the biomechanics of traumatic brain injury. 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 This work allowed for improved modeling of brain injury by engineers in their design of safety equipment in automobiles. Dr. Ommaya also published the first coma score for classification of traumatic brain injury. 17 The most widely used contemporary classification systems follow the Ommaya approach. 10 Dr. Ommaya's friendship with Congressman Lehman, then chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, lead to the creation of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.32
Dr. Ommaya worked with Sir Godfrey Hounsfield to determine the spatial resolution of the CT scanner which opened the door for its use in stereotactic surgery.15, 28 Ayub also invented the first spinal fluid driven artificial organ.17
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