Lower risk Medical device recall · FDA · Published June 29, 2017
Medtronic ENT Suction Kits: Instrument Verification Failure Risk
Medtronic recalls ENT suction kits that fail instrument verification. These reusable surgical tools may not pass pre-use checks, risking improper function during procedures.
Lower-risk recall
The instruments are not able to pass instrument verification which is performed prior to the use of each instrument.
Contact the company
Recalling firmMedtronic Navigation, Inc.826 Coal Creek Cir · Louisville, CO 80027-9710
What happened, in plain English
Medtronic is recalling reusable ENT suction kits that don't pass instrument verification tests before use. This could lead to improper function during surgery if the tools aren't properly checked. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/73496-medtronic-ent-suction-kits-instrument-verification-failure-risk.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/73496-medtronic-ent-suction-kits-instrument-verification-failure-risk · Updated September 19, 2026 · FDA enforcement record: FDA #Z-3058-2017
Cite this page
“Medtronic ENT Suction Kits: Instrument Verification Failure Risk.” GovInfoNow, updated September 19, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/73496-medtronic-ent-suction-kits-instrument-verification-failure-risk. Based on FDA recall #Z-3058-2017 (https://api.fda.gov/device/enforcement.json?search=recall_number:%22Z-3058-2017%22&limit=1).
Why it’s dangerous
The suction devices are designed to work with surgical navigation systems. If they fail verification tests, they might not function correctly during procedures. However, verification is performed before each use, so the risk is low.
Who’s affected
Surgical teams using Medtronic's AxiEM ENT suction kits for procedures. The risk is low since the kits are for professional use and verification failures are detected before each use.
How to tell if you have this one
Look for Medtronic ENT suction kits labeled with model numbers 9733449, 9733450, or 9733451. These kits are part of the AxiEM surgical navigation system and were sold with the lot number printed on the outer box.
- Brand
Medtronic- Category
Medical device
All 8 products in this recall
FDA lists each product line separately under one recall event. Check your product description, lot or code numbers against each row. Every row shares the hazard and remedy on this page.
- Classification
Class II- Status
Terminated- Distribution
Worldwide Distribution - US (nationwide) and Internationally to Canada.
| Recall number | Product, codes & lots | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Z-3051-2017 | Medtronic Straight Suction 9733449 EM ENT, reusable, Rx. The firm name on the label is Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO. The suction devices are part of a family of reusable ENT instruments that are used with the StealthStationTM AxiEM surgical navigation system. The AxiEM system is an electromagnetic (EM) tracking solution for surgical tools. The system measures an induced voltage created by local magnetic fields from a set of coils in the transmit coil array (TCA). Each surgical tool has a set of receiving coils to sense the magnetic field strength. Using a mathematical algorithm, the position and orientation of the instrument can be computed and overlaid/registered to imagery on a computer monitor, resulting in the ability to track the instrument tip in relation to the patients anatomy. AxiEM ENT Suction devices are used as suction and pointing devices. The suction devices are intended to have an ENT Instrument Tracker mounted on it; Lot numbers 17022809, 17030108,17022207,17022106, 17020805, 17020904, 17021798,17020987, 17011896, 17011221, 17011220, 16122237, 16122236, 16121661,16121260, 16121259, and 16112958 | 277 instruments |
| Z-3052-2017 | Medtronic Curved Suction 70 9733450 EM ENT, reusable, Rx. The firm name on the label is Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO. The suction devices are part of a family of reusable ENT instruments that are used with the StealthStationTM AxiEM surgical navigation system. The AxiEM system is an electromagnetic (EM) tracking solution for surgical tools. The system measures an induced voltage created by local magnetic fields from a set of coils in the transmit coil array (TCA). Each surgical tool has a set of receiving coils to sense the magnetic field strength. Using a mathematical algorithm, the position and orientation of the instrument can be computed and overlaid/registered to imagery on a computer monitor, resulting in the ability to track the instrument tip in relation to the patients anatomy. AxiEM ENT Suction devices are used as suction and pointing devices. The suction devices are intended to have an ENT Instrument Tracker mounted on it; Lot numbers 17030722, 17022421,17022020, 17020619, 17011918, 17012417, I 17010602, 16122724,16122239, 16122038, 16120563, and 16112362 | 149 instruments |
| Z-3053-2017 | Medtronic Curved Suction 90 9733451 EM ENT, reusable, Rx. The firm name on the label is Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO. The suction devices are part of a family of reusable ENT instruments that are used with the StealthStationTM AxiEM surgical navigation system. The AxiEM system is an electromagnetic (EM) tracking solution for surgical tools. The system measures an induced voltage created by local magnetic fields from a set of coils in the transmit coil array (TCA). Each surgical tool has a set of receiving coils to sense the magnetic field strength. Using a mathematical algorithm, the position and orientation of the instrument can be computed and overlaid/registered to imagery on a computer monitor, resulting in the ability to track the instrument tip in relation to the patients anatomy. AxiEM ENT Suction devices are used as suction and pointing devices. The suction devices are intended to have an ENT Instrument Tracker mounted on it; Lot numbers 17030728, 17022027, 17021426, 17013125, 17012724, 17011303, 16122767, 16122066, 16112965, and 16112164 | 75 instruments |
| Z-3054-2017 | Medtronic Suction 9734308 Small AxiEM ENT, reusable, Rx. The firm name on the label is Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO. The suction devices are part of a family of reusable ENT instruments that are used with the StealthStationTM AxiEM surgical navigation system. The AxiEM system is an electromagnetic (EM) tracking solution for surgical tools. The system measures an induced voltage created by local magnetic fields from a set of coils in the transmit coil array (TCA). Each surgical tool has a set of receiving coils to sense the magnetic field strength. Using a mathematical algorithm, the position and orientation of the instrument can be computed and overlaid/registered to imagery on a computer monitor, resulting in the ability to track the instrument tip in relation to the patients anatomy. AxiEM ENT Suction devices are used as suction and pointing devices. The suction devices are intended to have an ENT Instrument Tracker mounted on it; Lot numbers 17022451,17011750, 16120349, 16082989, 16081888, 16071987, 16062713, and 16060712 | 60 instruments |
| Z-3055-2017 | Medtronic Instrument Set EM ENT, Ref. #9733452 and #9733452-G02, reusable, RX. This kit contains 9733449, Straight Suction, 9733450, 70 deg Curved Suction, and 9733451, 90 deg Curved Suction. The firm name on the label is Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO. The suction devices are part of a family of reusable ENT instruments that are used with the StealthStationTM AxiEM surgical navigation system. The AxiEM system is an electromagnetic (EM) tracking solution for surgical tools. The system measures an induced voltage created by local magnetic fields from a set of coils in the transmit coil array (TCA). Each surgical tool has a set of receiving coils to sense the magnetic field strength. Using a mathematical algorithm, the position and orientation of the instrument can be computed and overlaid/registered to imagery on a computer monitor, resulting in the ability to track the instrument tip in relation to the patients anatomy. AxiEM ENT Suction devices are used as suction and pointing devices. The suction devices are intended to have an ENT Instrument Tracker mounted on it; Each of the devices within the kit are labeled with information specific to each of the reusable devices within the kit and those devices are what goes into the customer inventory. The outer box where the lot number is printed is discarded by the customer on receipt and the separate devices within the box are what is stored on the shelf. Therefore, no kit lot number is being provided. | 13 kits |
| Z-3056-2017 | Medtronic Instrument Kit 9733908 Fusion ENT, reusable, RX. This kit includes Kit 9733452 (containing 9733449, Straight Suction, 9733450, 70 deg Curved Suction, and 9733451, 90 deg Curved Suction). The firm name on the label is Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO. The suction devices are part of a family of reusable ENT instruments that are used with the StealthStationTM AxiEM surgical navigation system. The AxiEM system is an electromagnetic (EM) tracking solution for surgical tools. The system measures an induced voltage created by local magnetic fields from a set of coils in the transmit coil array (TCA). Each surgical tool has a set of receiving coils to sense the magnetic field strength. Using a mathematical algorithm, the position and orientation of the instrument can be computed and overlaid/registered to imagery on a computer monitor, resulting in the ability to track the instrument tip in relation to the patients anatomy. AxiEM ENT Suction devices are used as suction and pointing devices. The suction devices are intended to have an ENT Instrument Tracker mounted on it; Each of the devices within the kit are labeled with information specific to each of the reusable devices within the kit and those devices are what goes into the customer inventory. The outer box where the lot number is printed is discarded by the customer on receipt and the separate devices within the box are what is stored on the shelf. Therefore, no kit lot number is being provided. | 15 kits |
| Z-3057-2017 | Medtronic Set Supplemental INS AxiEM ENT, Ref. 9734378, reusable, RX. This kit contains 9734308, Small Straight suction. The firm name on the label is Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO. The suction devices are part of a family of reusable ENT instruments that are used with the StealthStationTM AxiEM surgical navigation system. The AxiEM system is an electromagnetic (EM) tracking solution for surgical tools. The system measures an induced voltage created by local magnetic fields from a set of coils in the transmit coil array (TCA). Each surgical tool has a set of receiving coils to sense the magnetic field strength. Using a mathematical algorithm, the position and orientation of the instrument can be computed and overlaid/registered to imagery on a computer monitor, resulting in the ability to track the instrument tip in relation to the patients anatomy. AxiEM ENT Suction devices are used as suction and pointing devices. The suction devices are intended to have an ENT Instrument Tracker mounted on it; Each of the devices within the kit are labeled with information specific to each of the reusable devices within the kit and those devices are what goes into the customer inventory. The outer box where the lot number is printed is discarded by the customer on receipt and the separate devices within the box are what is stored on the shelf. Therefore, no kit lot number is being provided. | 8 kits |
| Z-3058-2017 | Medtronic ENT Prgm 9734636 Add Fusion Nav AxiEM, reusable, Rx. This kit includes 9733908 (which includes 9733452 containing 9733449, Straight Suction, 9733450, 70 deg Curved Suction, and 9733451, 90 deg Curved Suction). The firm name on the label is Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO. The suction devices are part of a family of reusable ENT instruments that are used with the StealthStationTM AxiEM surgical navigation system. The AxiEM system is an electromagnetic (EM) tracking solution for surgical tools. The system measures an induced voltage created by local magnetic fields from a set of coils in the transmit coil array (TCA). Each surgical tool has a set of receiving coils to sense the magnetic field strength. Using a mathematical algorithm, the position and orientation of the instrument can be computed and overlaid/registered to imagery on a computer monitor, resulting in the ability to track the instrument tip in relation to the patients anatomy. AxiEM ENT Suction devices are used as suction and pointing devices. The suction devices are intended to have an ENT Instrument Tracker mounted on it; Each of the devices within the kit are labeled with information specific to each of the reusable devices within the kit and those devices are what goes into the customer inventory. The outer box where the lot number is printed is discarded by the customer on receipt and the separate devices within the box are what is stored on the shelf. Therefore, no kit lot number is being provided.To be provided | 6 kits |
What to do — step by step
Check Instrument Verification
Verify that the suction devices pass pre-use verification tests as required by the manufacturer.
Where it went and when
Where it was distributed
Distributed nationwide, and outside the U.S.
FDA distribution: “Worldwide Distribution - US (nationwide) and Internationally to Canada.” States read from FDA’s own wording; “not listed” means the notice does not name it.
Distributed nationwide, and outside the U.S.
Recall timeline
FDA terminated this recall 13 months after the firm started it.
- Firm started the recall
- FDA classified it Class II
- Published in FDA’s Enforcement Report
- FDA terminated the recall
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
Questions people ask
Do I need to stop using these kits?
No, the kits are designed to be used with verification checks before each procedure, so continued use is safe as long as verification is performed.
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Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official FDA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: FDA Recall #Z-3058-2017 (June 29, 2017) — FDA publishes no per-recall page; this is the official machine-readable enforcement record. Search FDA recalls for Z-3058-2017 to see it in context.
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on September 19, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the FDA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official FDA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.