MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 2006--Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT - News) today announced that it has received CE Mark (Conformite Europeene) approval for its next-generation self-expanding carotid stent and filter system, providing patients afflicted by carotid artery disease with a new, minimally-invasive treatment option to surgical procedures for the prevention of stroke. Carotid artery disease (CAD) is the narrowing or blockage of arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain. Without proper treatment, this condition can lead to stroke (a "brain attack"), which is one of the world's leading causes of death and long-term disability.
