BOULDER, CO - Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products and recognized innovator in mechanical ventilation and respiratory care devices, today announced the integration of its Nellcor™ OxiMax™ platform with SatSeconds™ technology into the Welch Allyn Connex® Vital Signs Monitor (VSM ). The same OxiMax™ technology is featured in the Nellcor OxiMax N-600x pulse oximeter, the Company's full-featured flagship oximeter that delivers accurate, reliable readings even during low perfusion and signal interference.

The collaboration between Covidien and Welch Allyn will enable clinicians worldwide to access the oxygen monitoring capabilities of the OxiMax platform with SatSeconds technology in the Connex VSM, an advanced, easy-to-use vital signs monitoring system that acts as three devices in one-offering spot-check, monitoring and triage.

The OxiMax platform monitors oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels - a critical measure of respiratory function. The SatSeconds feature alerts healthcare providers when patient saturation drops below the established SpO2 threshold - this helps minimize nuisance alarms by providing clinicians with the ability to differentiate between serious desaturations and minor transient events so they can intervene promptly to alarms that matter.
"The ability of our SatSeconds feature to help minimize clinically insignificant desaturation alarms is an important benefit in the healthcare setting," said Robert J. White, Vice President, General Manager, Patient Monitoring, Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions, Covidien. "We are delighted that this collaboration expands the availability of OxiMax technology to a greater number of caregivers and the patients they serve."

The Connex VSM provides comprehensive patient documentation on a single display, including such critical information as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and pulse oximetry; manual parameters such as respiration, height, weight and pain level; and modifiers such as body position and O2 therapy details.

Now complemented with the Nellcor OxiMax platform with SatSeconds technology, Connex VSM provides a suite of patient monitoring solutions for use on the general care floor in hospitals, surgery centers and other ambulatory care offices.

"The integration of the SatSeconds alert feature into our Connex VSM means we can offer the clinical benefits of this technology to our customers, and continue to deliver comprehensive monitoring solutions," said Scott Gucciardi, Senior Vice President, Welch Allyn. "The partnership with Covidien reflects our commitment at Welch Allyn to help doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers across the globe provide the best patient care by providing cutting-edge solutions that allow them to see more patients, detect more conditions and improve more lives."

"Across the healthcare landscape, strategic relationships are helping patients, clinicians and hospitals gain access to the best medical care," said Pete Wehrly, President, Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions, Covidien. "Working with Welch Allyn reflects our ongoing mission at Covidien to provide an ever-greater number of healthcare providers with technologies and products that improve patient safety, enhance medical efficacy and increase healthcare efficiency."

About Covidien

Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in three segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies. With 2010 revenue of $10.4 billion, Covidien has approximately 42,000 employees worldwide in more than 60 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. Please visit www.covidien.com to learn more about our business.

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