2008-12-02 20:29:03 -

www.medtronic.com - Expanding its angioplasty product portfolio, Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), announced today the U.S. market launch of the Sprinter Legend (semicompliant) and the NC Sprinter (noncompliant) balloon dilatation catheters on a rapid exchange delivery system.
Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Sprinter Legend balloon catheter provides the

latest innovations in balloon technology and is exceptionally well equipped to address difficult lesions in coronary angioplasty procedures.
"The Sprinter Legend balloon catheter excels on deliverability and crossability," said Dr. Bill Lombardi of St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, Wash. "Even for especially challenging coronary lesions, it has shown remarkable consistency in its ability to reach the lesion, and then cross it. Both traits are critical to clinical success."
The Sprinter Legend balloon catheter features the lowest pre-dilatation profiles on the market, making it suitable for use in challenging lesions, as well as allowing for the use of two balloons simultaneously in a small, six French, guide catheter (known as the "kissing balloon" technique). The Sprinter Legend balloon catheter is being launched in a wide variety of sizes, covering diameters of 1.5 to 4.0 mm and lengths of 6 to 30 mm.
The Sprinter Legend balloon catheter expands Medtronic"s robust U.S. line of angioplasty balloons, which also include noncompliant (NC) balloon catheters. Most notably, the NC Sprinter balloon catheter is designed to provide the precision and performance expected in a post-stent dilatation balloon and to optimize stenting results in the era of drug-eluting stents (DES), including the company"s flagship Endeavor® DES.
"Medtronic"s commitment to innovation in the field of interventional cardiology has long encompassed best-in-class balloon catheters," said Sean Salmon, vice president and general manager of the Coronary and Peripheral Vascular business at Medtronic. "As the latest addition to our broad U.S. portfolio of angioplasty products, the Sprinter Legend balloon introduces a new level of balloon technology to assist our customers in treating various lesion types, including some of the most challenging."
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 25, 2008. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

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