2009-11-11 15:23:08 -

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) today announced the full U.S. market release of MASTERGRAFT ® Strip – a new, highly flexible ceramic scaffold intended for use in combination with a patient’s own bone for fusing multiple levels of the posterolateral spine.

The full market release was announced today at the 24th Annual meeting of the North American Spine Society (NASS) in San Francisco.

MASTERGRAFT Strip was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this year and has been clinically evaluated by surgeons for a variety of bone grafting procedures with outstanding intraoperative performance.

MASTERGRAFT Strip provides surgeons with a bone grafting option that offers a continuous latticework for longer grafting procedures at the back of the spine, which are often performed when the spine loses stability or its natural shape. The product’s broad geometric design maximizes bony surface area contact and allows for continuous bone growth over large bony gaps. The product comes in unique lengths that eliminate the need to utilize multiple units of a synthetic product for a long fusion. The combination of these handling characteristics and the features common to all MASTERGRAFT ® Products provides surgeons with a synthetic graft that has all the necessary qualities of a scaffold for multi-level posterolateral fusion procedures.

According to Dr. Donald Kucharzyk, one of the clinical evaluators, the new MASTERGRAFT Strip “provides the flexibility and ease of use that greatly simplifies my operative technique.” Other surgeons who have clinically evaluated the product have been equally impressed with its length and ease of handling during implantation.



About the Spinal and Biologics Business at Medtronic

The Spinal and Biologics business, based in Memphis, Tenn., is the global leader in today’s spine market and is committed to advancing the treatment of spinal conditions. The business collaborates with world-renowned surgeons, researchers, and innovative partners to offer state-of-the-art products and technologies for neurological, orthopaedic, and spinal conditions. Medtronic is committed to developing affordable, minimally invasive procedures that provide lifestyle friendly surgical therapies. More information about the company and its spinal treatments can be found at www.medtronicspinal.com : and its patient-education Web sites, www.back.com : , www.iscoliosis.com : , www.maturespine.com : , and www.necksurgery.com : .


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.



Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 24, 2009. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.


Medtronic, Inc.Public Relations:Victor Rocha, 901-399-2401orInvestor
Relations:Jeff Warren, 763-505-2696