Medtronic's new GastriSail gastric positioning system combines benefits of three devices into one

Furthering its commitment to fight obesity with innovative bariatric surgical solutions, Medtronic now offers the GastriSail(TM) gastric positioning system to help promote more consistent sleeve creation(1) and greater procedural efficiency(1) within the sleeve gastrectomy procedure, the most commonly performed weight loss procedure in the U.S.(2)

Developed by Medtronic's Minimally Invasive Therapies Group, the GastriSail system combines the benefits of three devices into one, allowing surgeons to consistently size and decompress the stomach pouch and test for leaks without removing and reinserting another device. With fewer device insertions, there is potentially less risk of irritating or injuring the esophagus during the procedure(1). The GastriSail system received U.S. Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance in February 2015.

"The GastriSail system provides enhanced visualization and improved consistency allowing for streamlined, auto-placement in the stomach," said Amit Trivedi, MD, bariatric surgeon at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ, and co-developer of the GastriSail system. "Using the GastriSail system enables a more consistent procedure and greater efficiency, which can potentially change the patient experience."

During a sleeve gastrectomy procedure, surgeons use minimally invasive approaches to remove approximately two-thirds of the stomach to create a small sleeve-shaped pouch. With the new smaller stomach, the patient will feel full faster after eating a small amount of food in a single sitting.

The GastriSail system can be used to help guide the surgeon's staple lines to ensure consistent shape of the stomach pouch from procedure to procedure. Once the surgeon positions the GastriSail system in the stomach, the system's unique LED lights illuminate through the stomach tissue allowing the surgeon to see a clear line delineating where the stomach should be dissected, stapled and divided.

"The GastriSail system is a first-of-its-kind in the bariatric industry, and demonstrates our continued commitment to fight obesity with specialized solutions that provide better patient outcomes and have the potential to increase adoption of this well-established procedure," said Chris Barry, senior vice president and president of the Surgical Innovations business, Minimally Invasive Therapies Group at Medtronic. "Working very closely with Dr. Trivedi, we were able to develop the GastriSail system as a unique solution that promotes consistency of the sleeve, but also procedural efficiency."

The company is currently launching the GastriSail system in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. The system will be available globally by the end of 2015.

According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), sleeve gastrectomy accounted for the most bariatric procedures (42.1% of the 179,000 surgeries), followed by gastric bypass (34.2%)in 2013.(2)

About Medtronic

Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, 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 periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results

1 Bench top testing, cadaver lab with 4 surgeons, Comparison of GastriSail(TM) versus Standard Bougie in Sleeve Gastrectomy in a Cadaver Model Internal report, data on file.

2 ASMBS ConnectMay 2014, "New Procedure Estimates for Bariatric Surgery: What the Numbers Reveal." Accessed on February 18, 2015 at http://connect.asmbs.org/may-2014-bariatric-surgery-growth.html