Medtronic Announces First in Next Generation of Guide Catheters for Angioplasty.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 8, 2002

6-French Medtronic Launcher(TM) Guide Catheter Offers Patients

and Interventional Cardiologists A Pathway for

Performing Repairs on Coronary Vessels

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) today announced achievement of another technological milestone to support interventional cardiologists as they maneuver instruments from outside the body through small incisions to treat blockages in blood vessels of the heart. The new Medtronic Launcher(TM) guide catheter, now available in the "6-French" size in most markets worldwide, is intended to complement Medtronic's Z2 and ZUMA(TM) guide catheters, by combining--for the first time--a large "lumen," or inner channel, and high-performance features, including balance, flexibility and support. These design features give interventional cardiologists a more versatile pathway through which to deliver a range of devices used during coronary angioplasty. The small outer diameter of the 6-French size can reduce acute complications and facilitate a patient's recovery time.

Interventional cardiologists use Medtronic's guide catheters to create a smooth, safe path for other catheters, stents, dyes and distal protection devices used in repairing a blocked coronary vessel. The lumen of the 6-French Launcher guide catheter is 0.071 of an inch in diameter, larger than competitive 6-French catheters and thus able to accommodate a greater flow of marker dyes and all Medtronic coronary stents and balloons. The 6-French Launcher guide catheter's outer diameter--about the diameter of the lead in a pencil--results in smaller incisions that are less traumatic to the patient during and after surgery. And unlike most comparably sized guide catheters, the 6-French Launcher guide catheter is uniquely engineered to give physicians both flexibility and support.

"One of the most challenging aspects of angioplasty technologies is to facilitate the physician's visibility and precise control as interventional devices are delivered through the body's vasculature to the lesion site," said Bill Hawkins, president of Medtronic Vascular. "The 6-French Launcher device is the first in a new generation of guide catheters designed to provide this capability better than ever before, even in the most challenging cases."

The new guide catheter features Medtronic's unique Full Wall Technology(TM) in a Vest-Tech(TM) nylon and an encapsulated flat-wire braid. It is crafted to maximize support and curve retention, which allow it to remain firmly in place during subsequent interventional cardiology procedures. The material is kink-resistant and fully radiopaque, facilitating visualization on fluoroscopy, while its support, curve retention, flexibility and controlled torque allow precise placement.

To accommodate the diversity in coronary anatomy and provide physicians with a broad range of options, the 6-French Launcher guide catheter includes a full line of standard and specialty curves. The company plans to launch the new guide catheter in a full complement of French sizes.

Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, is the world's leading medical technology company, providing lifelong solutions for people with chronic disease. Its Internet address is www.medtronic.com. Medtronic Vascular, formerly Arterial Vascular Engineering, is headquartered in Santa Rosa, Calif. Its Internet site is www.medtronicave.com.

Any statements made about the company's anticipated financial results and regulatory approvals are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 26, 2002. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.