Minimally invasive devices

Minimally Invasive Devices, Inc. (MID) provides a solution to the common problem of visual impairment during laparoscopic surgery. The company was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 2007 by Dr. Wayne Poll, a urological surgeon with 22 years of experience in laparoscopic and robotic surgery. Dr. Poll's frustration with frequently having to interrupt procedures to clean the laparoscope lens—a process that could happen up to ten times an hour—drove him to invent a solution. After winning a business plan competition at Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business, he secured initial funding and launched the company.

The core business of Minimally Invasive Devices is the development and sale of the FloShield® family of products to hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. The business model centers on selling these single-use medical devices directly and through distributors. FloShield addresses the challenge of maintaining a clear view during surgery by preventing fog, smoke, and debris from obscuring the laparoscope lens. The system works by creating a protective CO2 gas barrier, termed Vortex Barrier Technology™, at the tip of the scope. This significantly reduces or even eliminates the need for surgeons to remove the instrument for manual cleaning, which helps to maintain the flow of the procedure and potentially reduce surgical time.

The FloShield product line includes several versions compatible with both traditional and robotic-assisted surgical systems. The main product, FloShield Air, actively defogs the lens. A more advanced version, FloShield Plus, incorporates Flo-X, a biocompatible surfactant solution that allows surgeons to flush and clean the lens inside the patient's body if necessary. The company received FDA 510(k) approval for the FloShield system in 2008 and the CE Mark for European Union sales in 2011. Through a series of funding rounds, MID raised over $30 million to support commercialization, expand its sales force, and continue product development.

Keywords: laparoscopic visualization, surgical device, minimally invasive surgery, scope cleaning, active defogging, lens protection, Vortex Barrier Technology, FloShield, surgical efficiency, robotic surgery accessories, surgical smoke management, in-situ lens cleaning, medical device manufacturing, Wayne Poll, operating room technology, surgical workflow, laparoscope accessories, clear surgical view, electrosurgery visualization, surgical plume