DUBLIN and HOUSTON - June 8, 2016 - Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) today announced the first patient enrolled in a clinical study assessing the Medtronic Valiant(TM) Evo Thoracic Stent Graft System for the minimally invasive repair of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA). The international, multicenter, prospective study will include 100 patients in the U.S. and Europe. Today's news was reported at the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting of the Society for Vascular Surgery in National Harbor, Md.

Ali Azizzadeh, M.D., FACS, professor and chief of division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery in the department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, is the U.S. principal investigator for the trial and performed the first procedure on a patient with a descending TAA. Dr. Azizzadeh reports the first patient treated in the investigational device exemption (IDE) trial is an 88-year-old male who is doing well post-treatment.

"The Valiant Evo clinical study has the potential to expand the applicability of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) to a wider spectrum of patients," said Dr. Azizzadeh.

The Valiant Evo system is a lower profile evolution of the market-leading Valiant Captivia(TM)system, which has treated more than 85,000 patients globally. The Valiant Evo system is designed to deliver a minimally invasive treatment option to a greater number of patients with an 18F and 20F outer diameter profile for most size configurations, proximal closed web and FreeFlo configurations with tip capture, and high stent graft conformability. Additional features include broader tapered offerings and longer lengths for anatomical customization, in addition to an improved ergonomic delivery system.

In the United States, the Valiant Evo is an investigational device and not yet approved for commercial use.

"Medtronic is committed to developing meaningful innovation to deliver better patient outcomes. With the Valiant Evo system, we are leveraging a decade of clinical experience and physician collaboration with the Valiant system, with a lower profile device that may help to treat more complex aortic disease," said Daveen Chopra, vice president and general manager of the Aortic business, which is part of the Aortic & Peripheral Vascular division at Medtronic. "By listening to physicians we believe that this innovation may support greater access to less invasive treatment options for more patients globally."

Approximately six out of 100,000 people globally experience a TAA, a blood-filled bulge or ballooning of the aorta that runs through the chest and can lead to a life-threatening rupture and hemorrhage if not treated. Most people with TAA do not have any symptoms; however, risk factors include smoking, obesity, heredity, injury, or other disease.

In collaboration with leading clinicians, researchers and scientists worldwide, Medtronic offers the broadest range of innovative medical technology for the interventional and surgical treatment of cardiovascular disease and cardiac arrhythmias. The company strives to offer products and services that deliver clinical and economic value to healthcare consumers and providers around the world.

The Medtronic Valiant(TM) Evo Thoracic Stent Graft System
Click the thumbnail above for a larger image.

About UTHealth
Established in 1972 by The University of Texas System Board of Regents, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) is Houston's Health University and Texas' resource for health care education, innovation, scientific discovery and excellence in patient care. The most comprehensive academic health center in The UT System and the U.S. Gulf Coast region, UTHealth is home to schools of biomedical informatics, biomedical sciences, dentistry, nursing and public health and the John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School. UTHealth includes The University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center and a growing network of clinics throughout the region. The university's primary teaching hospitals include Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital and Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. For more information, visit www.uth.edu.

About Medtronic
Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world's largest medical technology, services and solutions companies - alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 85,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in approximately 160 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.

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.

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