Medtronic Wins Medical Design Excellence Awards for Products Related to Activa Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy and Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), announced today that it has been awarded three Medical Design Excellence Awards – two for products related to Activa® Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Therapy, a treatment for common movement disorders including Parkinson’s disease, and one for an ear, nose and throat (ENT) image guidance system used in sinus surgery.

The winning DBS products are the Nexframe® stereotactic technology system in the “surgical equipment, instruments, and supplies” category and the Stimloc™ lead anchoring device in the “implant and tissue-replacement products” category. The winning ENT surgery product is the LandmarX® Element endoscopic image guidance system in the “radiological and electromechanical devices” category.

“Medtronic is the company that developed deep brain stimulation as a treatment for numerous movement disorders,” said Zachary Levine, a neurosurgeon at the Washington Brain and Spine Institute in Washington, D.C., and an experienced implanter of Medtronic’s deep brain stimulation technology who has adopted the Nexframe system and the Stimloc device. “With these award winning products, it is providing innovative ways for neurosurgeons to implant DBS systems more efficiently.”

The Nexframe system enables accurate DBS lead placement while improving operating room efficiency and the patient experience. It replaces the traditional stereotactic head frame with a mini stereotactic system that uses bone markers and image-guided surgery technology to allow imaging and planning prior to the day of surgery. Because of its small size, the Nexframe system may reduce the discomfort of a traditional stereotactic head frame worn by a patient during a DBS procedure and allows the patient to be positioned with a moveable head and neck support rather than being secured to the operating table.

The Stimloc lead anchoring device enables secure fixation of the DBS lead before and after implantation. Its low profile and contoured shape enhances patient cosmetics and comfort, and helps protect the underlying soft brain tissue.

The Nexframe system and the Stimloc device are part of an integrated suite of products and services that comprise the Medtronic Procedure Solution for Deep Brain Stimulation. These products are both used in Activa® DBS Therapy, which safely and effectively manages some of the most disabling motor symptoms of the three most common movement disorders – Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor and dystonia. It uses a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker, to deliver carefully controlled electrical stimulation to targeted areas in the brain. Activa DBS works by electrically stimulating specific brain structures that control movement and muscle function.

The LandmarX Element provides advanced technology to support the essential image guidance system (IGS) functions an ENT surgeon needs for Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS).

The LandmarX Element IGS system is a surgical platform that supports use of special application software and associated instruments. The procedure-specific automated software requires no more than three to five minutes to complete the steps necessary for FESS navigation. The simplified user interface and minimized pre-operative set-up time make it an attractive and cost-effective solution for FESS surgeries performed at ambulatory surgery centers, where support staff can be trained in one to two cases. LandmarX eNV® instruments were the first to market with rotating arrays that maintain line of sight for both right- and left-handed surgeons, enabling uninterrupted navigation.

MDEA, a worldwide competition, is the premier awards program for the medical technology community. It is organized and presented by Los Angeles-based Canon Communications LLC, publisher of several medical technology industry publications, including MX and Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry. Winning entries are chosen on the basis of the innovative use of materials or processes and design and engineering features that enhance the ability of medical professionals to provide healthcare, offer improved patient benefits, and better overall delivery of care.

The 2007 Medical Design Excellence Award winners will be honored at a ceremony during the Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) East Conference and Exposition, June 12–14, 2007, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Gold and silver award recipients will be announced at that time.

Located in Minneapolis, the Neurological business of Medtronic pioneered and leads the field of neuromodulation, the targeted and regulated delivery of electrical pulses, pharmaceuticals, and biologics to specific sites in the nervous system.

Located in Jacksonville, Florida, the ENT business of Medtronic is changing the way ENT surgery is performed with innovative, minimally invasive products and techniques that benefit both patients and surgeons. The business’s main products include powered tissue-removal systems and other microendoscopy instruments, nerve monitoring systems, disposable fluid control products, image-guided surgery systems and a Ménière's disease therapy device.

About Medtronic
Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology – alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions of people around the world.