Medtronic launches MIDLF procedure at 26th North American Spine Society meeting

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) the world leader in spinal technology, announced today a pioneering approach to minimally invasive spinal fusion at the 26^th annual meeting of the North American Spine Society in Chicago, IL.

The MAST® MIDLF™ procedure uses a proprietary retractor and cortical bone screw fixation in conjunction with Medtronic's comprehensive surgical platform of interbody, navigation, neuromonitoring and biologic options. Referred to as a midline laminectomy approach, it is unique in that it enables a minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery, accessing the spine in the middle lower back, and eliminates the need for surgeons to work through a tubular retractor.

"This surgical strategy enables a highly efficient, minimally invasive lumbar fusion, while allowing visualization of familiar posterior landmarks," said Dr. Richard Hynes, spine surgeon at The B.A.C.K. Center in Melbourne, FL. "A midline approach offers surgeons a number of benefits in addressing the challenges associated with decompression as well as sacral fixation in the lumbar or lower spine."

The MAST® MIDLF^TM procedure may also be used with Medtronic's surgical navigation and imaging systems. This allows for decreased exposure to radiation for hospital staff and physicians, with improved accuracy of device placement to avoid injury to nerves.

The MIDLF™ procedure is the latest advancement in a series of integrated procedural solutions that compliments Medtronic Spinal's minimally invasive MAST® portfolio to successfully treat patients for a variety of degenerative and deformity spinal conditions. In the United States, over 250,000 individuals undergo spinal fusions annually to treat degenerative changes in the lumbar spine.