ClearCam's ClearScopeTM Unveils Cutting-Edge Design Enhancements Shaped by Customer Insights
ClearCam's origins trace back to its founder, Dr. John Uecker, MD, FACS, a general surgeon who grew frustrated with the need to repeatedly remove the laparoscope from the body whenever fluids or debris obstructed the lens. Seeking a solution, he brought this challenge to Dr. Christopher Rylander’s medical device class at The University of Texas at Austin. One of Dr. Rylander’s graduate students (Dr. Christopher Idelson) was in the class and was part of the student group that took up the challenge. After exploring the problem that semester, the project was brought from the class into Rylander’s lab and became Idelson’s Ph.D. research project where they invented the concept of their “laparoscopic windshield wiper”.
Uecker, Idelson, and Rylander collectively decided to try and transition the idea into a marketable product. Uecker would be the CEO, Rylander would transition from CTO to an Advisor role, as Idelson grew into the role of CTO over time. Their endeavor was further bolstered by the addition of Douglas Stoakley, a seasoned executive with a background in the technology industry, who joined as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and President. Douglas played a pivotal role in facilitating the company forming and the product going to market. In 2018, ClearCam Inc. was founded, and by 2020 their flagship product, then marketed as “KellingTM” (homage to George KellingTM, the “father of laparoscopy”), was officially introduced to the market.
2000+ human cases later with countless feedback data provided by a growing customer list, the ClearCam team recognized some key opportunities to improve their design, help ensure customer satisfaction, and continue leveling up their product.
In the middle of 2023, the latest iteration of ClearCam's KellingTM, featuring a rebranded name, ClearScopeTM, and a range of eagerly anticipated enhancements, was unveiled. The team kept true to one of their “north star principles”, paying attention to the valuable insights provided by users in the field. The team tailored the device improvements around feedback and business needs, while maintaining regulatory compliance. ClearScopeTM has received strong field grades so far. Where KellingTM incorporated “SureFit SpacersTM” to accommodate user needs for ideal usability around the varying scopes lengths, clinicians found them to be cumbersome at times. In response, the team’s ability to eliminate the spacers and implement a user-friendly adjustable dial instead reduced part count while cleanly enabling users to simply and rapidly adjust wiper positioning for reliable and repeatable lens cleaning. Clinicians can now effortlessly “set and forget” the wiper position before surgery, making in-situ lens cleaning a breeze. ClearScopeTM enables OR teams to clean with confidence like never before.
Beyond the excellent clinical reception of the device, the team was able to streamline the supply chain for both ClearCam and hospitals, as the improved design enabled Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) reduction from 6 SKUs to 2 SKUs for 5mm 0° and 30° degree scope lenses.
With this design improvement, the ClearCamTM team is eager to improve the standards of the surgical visual field for laparoscopies nationwide. Get in touch with us today to experience the ClearScopeTM first hand.
