Medtronic Introduces First Patient-Activated Pain Control Device to Be Used with Company's Implantable Drug Pumps; Hand-Held Personal Therapy Manager Now Available in U.S., Allowing Safe, On-Demand Delivery of Pain Medication.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) today announced that its new patient-activated pain control device is now available in the United States for people with difficult-to-treat chronic pain. A female cancer patient at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center was the first person to receive the Personal Therapy Manager (PTM), which was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The PTM enables patients with SynchroMed(R) II drug pumps to respond to episodes of increased pain by delivering supplemental doses of pain medication pre-prescribed by a physician. Previously, pump patients received a constant dose of pain medication that had been pre-set by a physician using a programmer.

The SynchroMed system is used to treat all types of severe chronic pain by delivering small, controlled amounts of medication to the intrathecal space, the fluid-filled area in the spinal column through which pain signals travel.

"This should help many of those living with chronic pain, including people with debilitating daily pain related to cancer or their cancer treatment, take control of their pain therapy, and significantly enhance their quality of life ," says Dr. Allen Burton, associate professor and section chief, Cancer Pain Management, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

"We already have experience with this type of patient-controlled pain therapy, specifically in people who have undergone surgery and in childbirth. It makes sense that we've found a way to apply those successes to chronic pain control," Burton further states.

The PTM is a hand-held device about the size of a cell phone. Patients use the PTM by pressing a button, which triggers the delivery of a physician-prescribed dose of liquid morphine after the device software verifies that the "lockout interval," or the time during which the patient cannot receive additional doses of medication, has elapsed.

"The Personal Therapy Manager is the first of its kind to give our implantable drug pump patients more control over their own pain relief," says Jake Vander Zanden, vice president and general manager, Global Pain Management, Medtronic Neurological. "This device makes getting medication when you need it more convenient, but has the necessary safeguards to prevent overdosing or overuse."

For information on the Personal Therapy Manager, visit www.PTM.medtronic.com. For more information on the SynchroMed II drug pump, visit www.medtronic.com/synchromedII.

About Chronic Pain

Defined as pain that persists or recurs for more than six months, chronic pain can be caused by a variety of injuries and diseases, including nerve damage and cancer, and most commonly affects the lower back and legs. Left untreated or under-treated, chronic pain can destroy a person's life. Beyond the physical disability that often results, it can lead to difficulty holding a job, low self-esteem, strained relationships, depression, and suicide.

Chronic pain affects approximately 25 percent of the U.S. population and 70 percent of cancer patients. Chronic pain accounts for an estimated $100 billion a year in medical costs, including 515 million lost workdays and 40 million physician visits.

For more information on chronic pain, visit the American Pain Foundation web site at www.painfoundation.org.

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 29, 2005. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.