Bloom Surgical Awarded Competitive Grant from the NSF

July 27, 2023

Funding accelerates development of device for resolving visual disruptions in robotic procedures

Salt Lake City, UT, June 1, 2023 – Bloom Surgical, Inc., a Utah-based surgical device startup, has been awarded a U.S. National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant for $256,000 to conduct research and development work on a novel micro-mechanical wiping mechanism and in-abdomen lens cleaning solution for resolving visual disruptions rapidly during minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Recurrent visual impairments from smudged camera lenses disrupt 90% of robotic-assisted surgeries. Condensation (fog), particulate debris (fat tissue and cautery), and blood cause these visual issues by accumulating on scope lenses during surgery and producing optical smears. Dirty scope optics cause visual disruptions, squander procedure time, jeopardize control during critical moments, and aggravate surgeon decision fatigue tied to patient safety.

Bloom Surgical’s solution is a rapid, in-abdomen, disposable wiping attachment that enables surgical teams to recover scope vision quickly and intraoperatively, eliminating the need to remove the scope for cleaning.

“The problem of visual disruptions in the OR is only intensifying with the adoption of robotic and automated procedures,” said Jacob Sheffield, CEO of Bloom Surgical. “This Phase I SBIR will enable us to prove the feasibility of this technology and provide surgical teams with a viable solution to maintain unimpaired intraoperative visualization, allowing the focus to be on patient care and timely procedure processes rather than scope removals and cleaning events.”

For more information about Bloom Surgical’s groundbreaking technology, visit www.bloomsurgical.com.

Contact
Ian Esplin
Bloom Surgical, Inc.
ian@bloomsurgical.com
www.bloomsurgical.com