Covidien’s Tri-Staple™ Technology Platform Reaches $1 Billion Sales Milestone

Innovative and expanding surgical stapling portfolio offers outstanding clinical performance in wider range of laparoscopic surgical procedures

MANSFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that the Company’s Tri-Staple™ technology platform has achieved more than $1 Billion in product sales since launching in mid-2010.

“We intend to continue investing in and expanding the Tri-Staple technology portfolio. With the recent launch of the iDrive Ultra, we believe the Tri-Staple platform will continue to experience good growth.”

Covidien’s Tri-Staple technology platform for endoscopic surgical stapling is the first-of-its-kind technology that enables surgeons to use staplers in a broader range of tissue thicknesses than ever before. Surgeons have rapidly adopted and use Tri-Staple technology reloads across surgical specialties including bariatric, thoracic, colorectal, general, hepatobiliary and gynecological surgery. Endo GIA™ Reloads with Tri-Staple technology are sold in more than 45 countries.

“Our Tri-Staple technology has enabled Covidien to deliver to surgeons a clinically relevant and truly innovative surgical stapling platform,” said Bryan Hanson, Group President, Surgical Solutions, Covidien. “We are extremely pleased with the positive feedback from surgeons regarding their stapling experience and the performance of the Tri-Staple technology.”

The benefits delivered by Tri-Staple technology are achieved due to its graduated compression design and progressive staple heights, which provide less stress on tissue during compression and clamping¹, the potential for greater perfusion into the staple line² and the ability to manage tissue variability.

“In my experience with progressive staple heights, we are finding this leads to more successful stapling, more formed staples, and fewer misfires, which is truly an incredible innovation for what we do in liver surgery with unpredictable variances in tissue thicknesses,” stated David A. Iannitti, MD, a hepatobiliary surgeon.

Covidien's Tri-Staple technology platform consists of Endo GIA™ Ultra Universal Staplers (manual handles) and a comprehensive set of endostapling reloads. In addition, Tri-Staple reloads are compatible with Covidien’s newest powered stapling platform – the iDrive™ Ultra system – which brings enhanced precision and control to stapling. The portfolio of endostapling reloads in the Tri-Staple family includes four specialty reloads designed to address specific surgical challenges:

• Endo GIA Black Reload – the only reload designed specifically for use in extra-thick tissue applications
• Endo GIA Radial Reload – offers the potential for greater distal margins in colorectal surgery and enhanced maneuverability deep in the pelvis
• Endo GIA Curved Tip Reload – the first and only reload with a curved tip on the distal end of the anvil to facilitate access in challenging tissue conditions
• Endo GIA™ 30 mm Reload – the only stapler designed specifically for use in situations where space is limited

“Reaching this milestone in less than three years from launch is a significant accomplishment,” Hanson added. “We intend to continue investing in and expanding the Tri-Staple technology portfolio. With the recent launch of the iDrive Ultra, we believe the Tri-Staple platform will continue to experience good growth.”

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 three segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies. With 2012 revenue of $11.9 billion, Covidien has 43,000 employees worldwide in 70 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. Please visit www.covidien.com to learn more about our business.

¹ When compared to Echelon Flex™ green reloads as part of a September 2, 2011, analysis comparing different stapler designs and their performance and impact on tissues under compression using two-dimensional finite element analysis (data on file).

² When compared to Ethicon Echelon Flex™ green reloads as part of a bench study conducted August 16-18, 2011, that measured fluid perfusion into clamped media among different stapler designs (Covidien Engineering Report No. PCR-007; data on file).