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SearchCleveland Clinic's Innovation Fellows program has sparked the development of PowerCut, a tool modernizing spinal rod manipulation techniques unchanged for decades. Advanced through the collaborative work of Kyle O'Laughlin, MS, Lead Research Technologist, Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, this device aims to transform scoliosis surgeries by replacing manual bending methods with a smaller, more efficient alternative that streamlines procedures and expands capabilities across surgical teams.
Transforming Traditional Techniques Through Collaborative Innovation
Cleveland Clinic's Innovation Fellows program is driving meaningful advancements in healthcare; one way is through its unique approach to medical device development. A prime example of this impact can be seen in the PowerCut project—an innovative tool for spinal rod manipulation, bending, and cutting that promises to modernize surgical techniques that have remained largely unchanged for three decades.
Kyle O'Laughlin, MS, Lead Research Technologist, Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, joined the Innovation Fellows program in July 2023, bringing his background as an exercise physiologist and his passion for medical device innovation to the team. After nearly nine years at the Cleveland Clinic, O'Laughlin saw the fellowship as an opportunity to formalize his interest in the invention process.
"Being an innovator and having an innovator mindset, and really being into the invention process, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to kind of start to transition myself into this pathway," O'Laughlin explains.
Building Innovation Capacity: The Fellowship Program
The Innovation Fellows program, managed through the Proof of Concept Office, is a structured two-year initiative designed to train mid-career scientists, technicians and post-doctoral fellows in all aspects of the technology development process—from invention definition through regulatory approval and marketing. Fellows commit 20% of their time (with salary offset) to the program, which begins with a year of didactic training followed by a year of direct project management experience with the Idea-to-Invention (I-2-I) and Catalyst SPARK programs, along with mentoring first-year Fellows.
The program has grown significantly since its inception in 2018, with 26 total participants to date. Five of the nine current fellows will graduate in summer 2025, one of whom is O’Laughlin. The program's success is evident in its outcomes: five graduates have expanded into various roles within Cleveland Clinic, while nine others have moved into technology transfer and other industry positions. In 2024, the program expanded to include clinician-fellows for the first time, further broadening its impact. Many fellows also serve as mentors for Innovations' DEDICARE (DEsigning Disruptive Innovations in HealthCARE) program.
Identifying the Need: Voice of Customer Research
The PowerCut project addresses limitations in current scoliosis surgical procedures, where spinal rods are typically bent manually—a technique that Erik Waldorff, PhD, MBA, Senior Director, Innovations Proof of Concept, describes as "archaic" and heavily dependent on surgeon expertise. By improving the process of bending and inserting rods into patients’ spines, PowerCut aims to create a smaller, more efficient alternative to the existing large and cumbersome device on the market, potentially allowing more surgical team members to perform this routine.
O'Laughlin's involvement began with crucial Voice of Customer (VOC) work to determine whether there was a genuine clinical need for improvement. The team conducted interviews with both senior clinicians and fellows, discovering an interesting pattern: while younger clinicians immediately recognized the need, more experienced surgeons were initially skeptical.
This prompted the team to take a deeper investigative approach. "We decided that it would be best if we would go in and observe the surgeries to get a better understanding of what is actually occurring so that we can see what the actual true value is in this device," O'Laughlin recalls.
Evidence-Based Innovation
The team secured Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval to conduct observational research across ten scoliosis surgeries. Their findings were revealing—even senior surgeons who had initially expressed satisfaction with traditional methods could benefit from the proposed device by freeing up their hands during complex procedures.
"We did discover that yes, there is quite a need for a device like this," O'Laughlin notes. "There is a bigger need. There is a bigger market."
The observational research yielded multiple benefits. Beyond validating the market need, it resulted in a manuscript published in the Journal of Spine Surgery (JSS) and a presentation at the Student American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics (SAOAO). Perhaps most significantly, the research led O'Laughlin to identify new potential features for the device, earning him a place on the invention team.
Waldorff emphasizes the critical importance of this evidence-gathering process: "When inventors come in, they often rightly believe their idea will change the course of patient care. What Kyle has gone through is the identification of critical clinical evidence, which is crucial for us to fully expound the value proposition and how this new invention can ultimately improve patient care."
From Concept to Creation
With market validation and an updated value proposition in hand, the project secured a Catalyst SPARK grant to move forward with device development. The team is currently working with Medical Device Solutions at Cleveland Clinic to create physical prototypes of key components while designing others. Their ultimate goal is to either license the technology to existing surgical supply manufacturers or collaborate with them on full-scale development.
The PowerCut project represents the holistic approach that makes the Innovation Fellows program valuable — combining clinical observation, academic publication, prototype development, and commercial planning.
Beyond the Fellowship
For O'Laughlin, the Innovation Fellows program experience has opened new career possibilities. Already transitioning to a role focused on Business Development and Licensing within Cleveland Clinic Innovations, he credits the program with giving him hands-on experience that classroom learning couldn't provide.
"I would love to stay within the innovation sector. I would really like to get Cleveland Clinic inventions from the inventors' hands into the market," he shares. "At the end of the day, we all do this to help patients. That's why I do it. That's my favorite part of it."
The PowerCut project stands as evidence of how the Cleveland Clinic's Innovation Fellows program creates a pathway for promising medical innovations— transforming ideas into evidence-based, commercially viable solutions that ultimately improve patient care.
