Covidien Launches RapidVac™ Smoke Evacuator

New System Minimizes Health-Risk Contaminants in the Operating Room

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Covidien (NYSE: COV, BSX: COV), a world leader in advanced energy-based surgical systems, today announced the global launch of the RapidVac™ Smoke Evacuator System — a powerful, efficient device that quietly filters airborne contaminants from the operating room (O.R.) environment.

“We are excited to bring this quiet, easy-to-operate and effective system to the marketplace.”

The RapidVac Smoke Evacuator System, an advance in effective control of surgical smoke, features an ultra low penetration air (ULPA) filter with 99.9995 percent efficiency at trapping particulate matter as small as 0.12 microns. The device’s maximum air flow - how much air can be filtered through the system - is 30 percent greater than that offered by previous models, but it operates quietly, without significantly contributing to the ambient noise in the O.R. The system works in both open and laparoscopic procedures, and its flow rate can be adjusted to meet the specific surgical need.

The system helps protect patients and O.R. personnel from the potential hazards of surgical smoke. Research has shown that during surgery, chemicals and biological material can become airborne in surgical smoke, causing nausea, irritation of the eyes and upper respiratory tract and other potential health issues, as well as sometimes obscuring a clear view of the operative field.

As many as 500,000 healthcare workers are exposed to surgical smoke each year, according to the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Regulations mandating the use of smoke evacuation systems are a topic of ongoing discussion worldwide, and Canada recently approved a new standard that requires the use of smoke evacuation in all operating theaters and for all cases generating surgical smoke. In the United States, OSHA, along with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), supports the use of smoke evacuation systems in all operating rooms.

“This product demonstrates the commitment of Covidien Energy-based Devices to technical innovation and to the reduction in the hazards of surgical smoke in the operating room, for both healthcare practitioners and patients,” said Cameron Rouns, Vice President of Global Marketing, Energy-based Devices, Covidien. “We are excited to bring this quiet, easy-to-operate and effective system to the marketplace.”

ABOUT COVIDIEN

Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in four segments: Medical Devices, Imaging Solutions, Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Supplies. With 2008 revenue of nearly $10 billion, Covidien has more than 41,000 employees worldwide in 59 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. Please visit www.covidien.com to learn more about our business.