Medtronic Launches New Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Products Through Exclusive Distribution Agreement with Miami Instruments

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS
WIRE)–Medtronic, Inc. today announced that it has entered into
an exclusive distribution agreement with Miami Instruments, LLC – a company
focused on the design of innovative surgical instruments for minimally invasive
cardiac surgery (MICS) procedures – and has introduced the companys first two
products in the U.S.

The first products launched are the Joseph Lamelas Knot
Pusher™, which is designed to simplify the delivery and tying of secure suture
knots in the heart during MICS procedures, and the Joseph Lamelas Atrial Lift
System™, which is used to retract the atrial wall during limited-access cardiac
surgical procedures. These products are registered with the FDA and are
available for use in the U.S.

Each year more than 400,000 heart valve repair and valve
replacement procedures are performed throughout the world. These procedures are
typically performed through open-heart surgery, which requires a surgical
incision through a patients breastbone and the use of a heart-lung machine.
Today, specially trained cardiac surgeons are performing heart valve repairs
and replacements using MICS, and these techniques allow access to the heart
through smaller incisions using specialized, minimally invasive surgical
instruments and without separating the breastbone. MICS procedures typically
allow for reduced blood loss during surgery, quicker patient recovery times and
shorter hospital stays.

“Medtronic is pleased to join with Miami Instruments to
bring cardiac surgeons the specialized surgical instruments they need to
perform MICS procedures on behalf of their patients,” said John Liddicoat,
senior vice president, Medtronic and president of the Structural Heart
business. “This agreement will allow us to continue providing physicians with
the most innovative minimally invasive heart valve replacement and repair
technologies.”

These, and other Miami Instruments products in development,
are disposable, single-use, devices designed by Joseph Lamelas, M.D., cardiac
surgeon and chief of cardiac surgery at Mount Sinai
Medical Center
in Miami Beach, Florida, and a founder of Miami Instruments.

“MICS procedures have become the preferred option for many
patients who need heart valve repair or replacement surgery,” said Dr. Lamelas.
“This new collaboration with Medtronic will enable cardiac surgeons to use our
advanced surgical instruments during these complex but highly beneficial
procedures.”

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.

About Miami Instruments

Miami Instruments, LLC (www.miamiinstruments.com) is a medical device company which
develops surgical instrumentation for the purpose of enhancing patient safety,
procedural efficacy, and surgeon reproducibility in the field of Minimally
Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS).

Posted by Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief, MDT