Two-Year Clinical Study Supports Safety and Efficacy of Covidien plc Solitaire™ FR Revascularization Device

MANSFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Covidien (NYSE:COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today released the results of the Solitaire™ FR Thrombectomy for Acute Revascularization (STAR) study. The two-year study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the Solitaire FR revascularization device in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is the most prevalent form of stroke, representing up to 87% of all stroke-related cases worldwide.1 In AIS, the patient suffers from an acute blockage of blood flow (ischemia) to the brain, which, if not treated in a timely manner, leads to permanent neurological damage and possibly death. In 2008, the direct and indirect cost of stroke in U.S. was $39 billion.