Solving Problems to Improve Patient Care

In our Inventor Chronicles video series, Cleveland Clinic inventors share their backgrounds, goals, challenges, and advice for new inventors. Each episode follows a different inventor’s journey with Cleveland Clinic Innovations, from initial inspiration to life-changing invention.

“If you see a lot of patients, and you do a lot of surgeries and procedures, you understand what is known, what is unknown, and what needs to be improved. And understanding what needs to be improved, that’s where the opportunity is for innovations.” – Amit Bhatt, MD, Co-Director, Endoluminal Surgery Center, Director, Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Program at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Bhatt and John Vargo, MD, Director, Enterprise Endoscopy Operations, Director, Endoscopic Research & Innovation at Cleveland Clinic, collaborated with Cleveland Clinic Innovations to develop a wire frame made out of a shape-memory alloy to better move tissue during endoscopy procedures. Their invention, which is commercialized, gives surgeons greater visibility of the dissection plane, allowing for faster, safer, and more efficient dissection of tumors. With greater visibility, tumors can be removed while leaving the integrity of the esophagus and stomach intact so patients can keep their quality of life.

“It’s not just one person that starts you through the journey. There are people throughout that may be experts in looking at the idea. It’s well worth making that relationship and getting educated in the processes of innovation. It is actually really enjoyable to go through this process and solve problems… When we develop a device that makes these procedures easier to perform, we’re helping gastroenterologists and surgeons throughout the country help patients, touching more lives than I can personally do myself,” shared Dr. Vargo and Dr. Bhatt.

Cleveland Clinic Innovations brings the best ideas from the brightest minds in medicine to patients around the world by connecting inventors and their ideas with strategic industry partners to create products that transform the future of healthcare. Since our inception in 2000, Cleveland Clinic Innovations has helped inventors receive 2,400+ patents, executed more than 800 licenses and launched over 100 start-ups to turn ideas into next-generation products for patients.