Medtronic makes another deal, agrees to acquire RF Surgical Systems for $235 million

Medtronic has signed a definitive agreement to acquire RF Surgical Systems, a company that develops a system to detect and prevent surgical items left inside patients after wound closure. The deal was for $235 million.

The system uses a low radio frequency (RF) signal to detect surgical gauze, sponges and towels through blood, dense tissue and bone. The surgical items are embedded with an RF tag. If the items remain in patients, they may need to undergo another procedure or experience serious issues.

According to RF Surgical Systems, more than 4,500 operating rooms, trauma and labor and delivery suites use its RF Assure Detection System, which received FDA clearance in 2006.

For Medtronic, acquiring RF Surgical Systems is the most recent deal in a busy time for the company. On June 18, Medtronic acquired Aptus Endosystems for approximately $110 million. Aptus develops technology for endovascular aneurysm repair and thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair. Aptus’s Heli-FX and Heli-FX Thoracic EndoAnchor systems can be used with Medtronic's Endurant and Valiant stent graft systems.

On June 19, Medtronic spent approximately $93 million to buy CardioInsight Technologies, which has a noninvasive cardiac system that maps electrical disorders of the heart.

Tim Casey,

Executive Editor

Tim Casey joined TriMed Media Group in 2015 as Executive Editor. For the previous four years, he worked as an editor and writer for HMP Communications, primarily focused on covering managed care issues and reporting from medical and health care conferences. He was also a staff reporter at the Sacramento Bee for more than four years covering professional, college and high school sports. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and his MBA degree from Georgetown University.

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