Hydrocision

About Hydrocision

HydroCision, Inc. operates as a privately held medical device company, concentrating on the commercialization of its proprietary FluidJet technology. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in North Billerica, Massachusetts, the firm develops and manufactures fluidjet-based surgical instruments designed for various medical applications. The company's business model revolves around developing single-use, disposable surgical tools that are sold to healthcare providers, including hospitals and outpatient surgery centers, through a network of distributors. This approach targets a range of surgical fields such as orthopedic sports medicine, spine surgery, and wound management.

The core of HydroCision's product offering is its non-thermal water-jet technology, which utilizes a high-velocity, controlled stream of sterile saline to precisely cut, ablate, and remove soft and hard tissue. This method is designed to minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue and avoid the thermal injury associated with other surgical modalities like laser and radiofrequency technologies. The company's flagship products include the TenJet and SpineJet systems. TenJet is engineered for the minimally invasive treatment of chronic tendinopathy, also known as tendinosis, addressing conditions like tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, and rotator cuff tendinitis. The device uses ultrasound guidance to target and resect diseased tendon tissue through a small incision. The SpineJet system is designed for minimally invasive spine procedures, including herniated disc decompression and preparing the area for bone graft implantation during fusion surgery. It operates by simultaneously cutting and aspirating disc material, which can lead to shorter procedure times.

Since its inception, HydroCision has secured significant venture capital funding, with its first round in 2001 and subsequent rounds from investors including BioVentures Investors, Volcano Capital Management, and Omega Funds. The company has undergone several leadership changes to guide its growth and market strategy, appointing Alain Tranchemontagne as CEO in 2019, an executive with extensive experience from Smith & Nephew and Covidien (Medtronic). HydroCision has actively pursued regulatory clearance for its devices, receiving 510(k) premarket notification from the FDA for its TenJet system, indicating it is substantially equivalent to legally marketed predicate devices. The company has also built a substantial patent portfolio to protect its FluidJet technology.