Reported Reactions

Devices › Electrosurgical, cutting & coagulation & accessories

Device brand name · Electrosurgical pencil

Conmed: medical device reports filed with FDA

900 reports name it, 1996–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Conmed Electrosurgery. Product code GEI.

900
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 30 a year
89
reports, 12 months to August 2026
82 in the 12 months before
65.6%
classified as malfunction
80.1% across the product code
0.2%
classified as death, as reported
2 reports · not verified by FDA

FDA's MAUDE database holds 900 reports that name the brand "Conmed" (electrosurgical pencil), received between October 1996 and August 2026; the manufacturer given most often on reports is Conmed Electrosurgery. Spellings of one product vary from report to report.

89 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the 82 of the 12 months before. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases. The event types recorded are malfunction (65.6%), injury (24.1%) and other (8.4%); across all electrosurgical, cutting & coagulation & accessories reports (product code GEI) death is recorded in 0.4% and malfunction in 80.1%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are material fragmentation (10.9%), self-activation or keying (10.2%) and device remains activated (7.9%). The patient problems coded most often are burn, thermal, burn(s) and therapy/non-surgical treatment, additional. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Reports by month, five years

0918Sep 2021: 0Oct 2021: 0Nov 2021: 0Dec 2021: 02022Jan 2022: 0Feb 2022: 0Mar 2022: 0Apr 2022: 0May 2022: 0Jun 2022: 0Jul 2022: 0Aug 2022: 0Sep 2022: 0Oct 2022: 0Nov 2022: 0Dec 2022: 02023Jan 2023: 0Feb 2023: 0Mar 2023: 0Apr 2023: 0May 2023: 0Jun 2023: 0Jul 2023: 0Aug 2023: 0Sep 2023: 0Oct 2023: 0Nov 2023: 0Dec 2023: 02024Jan 2024: 0Feb 2024: 1Mar 2024: 3Apr 2024: 0May 2024: 4Jun 2024: 2Jul 2024: 2Aug 2024: 3Sep 2024: 9Oct 2024: 3Nov 2024: 5Dec 2024: 82025Jan 2025: 6Feb 2025: 11Mar 2025: 5Apr 2025: 9May 2025: 15Jun 2025: 7Jul 2025: 2Aug 2025: 2Sep 2025: 4Oct 2025: 0Nov 2025: 3Dec 2025: 112026Jan 2026: 7Feb 2026: 10Mar 2026: 18Apr 2026: 8May 2026: 7Jun 2026: 11Jul 2026: 2Aug 2026: 8

Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases.

By year received

0571131996: 619961997: 291998: 2319981999: 732000: 7020002001: 712002: 7020022003: 1132004: 1320042005: 112006: 1020062007: 522008: 4520082009: 562010: 6120102012: 82020: 320202024: 402025: 7520252026: 71

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death0.2%2
Injury24.1%217
Malfunction65.6%590
Other8.4%76
Not given1.7%15

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report80.8%727
Voluntary report6.7%60
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given12.6%113

Grey bar: all 118,290 reports carrying product code GEI. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Material fragmentation9810.9%0.9%
Self-activation or keying9210.2%2.3%
Device remains activated717.9%1.3%
Sticking505.6%1.5%
Delivered as unsterile product394.3%0.8%
Fire394.3%1.8%
Sparking333.7%1.7%
Replace303.3%2.8%
Thermal decomposition of device303.3%1%
Intraprocedure, fire or flash during293.2%0.3%
Melted293.2%1.5%
Other (for use when an appropriate device code cannot be identified)252.8%0.7%
Detachment of device component232.6%3.5%
Defective devicethe device was defective151.7%0.6%
Arcing141.6%0.9%
Insufficient device problem information141.6%2.8%
Reuse141.6%0%
Breakthe device broke131.4%14%
Material separation121.3%1.4%
Detachment of device or device componentpart of the device came off111.2%3.8%

FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report; one report can carry several. Generic codes such as "no apparent adverse event" are left out.

Patient problems coded

Patient problem (FDA code)ReportsShare
Burn, thermal10912.1%
Burn(s)a burn10611.8%
Therapy/non-surgical treatment, additional353.9%
Electric shockan electric shock202.2%
Foreign body in patientpart of a device left in the patient202.2%
Hospitalization required182%
Foreign body, removal of151.7%
Treatment with medication(s)151.7%
Other (for use when an appropriate patient code cannot be identified)141.6%
Erythemaskin redness131.4%
Bleeding101.1%
Shockshock, a collapse of the circulation91%
Surgical procedure70.8%
Surgery, prolonged60.7%
Surgical procedure, additional60.7%

Patient problem codes are present mainly in reports filed since 2019 and are often blank.

In context

MeasureConmedProduct code GEIAll MAUDE reports
Reports900118,29026,136,888
Share of that pool—0.8%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports249
Classified as injury24.1%16.7%36.2%
Classified as malfunction65.6%80.1%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer80.8%92.4%94.9%

Shares are of reports, not of devices in use. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Other brands with product code GEI

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
LigaSure8,2648790.2%
VasoView Hemopro 26,6336860%
THUNDERBEAT 5 mm, 35 cm, Front-actuated Grip Type S4,5904030%
HF unit "ESG-400"2,6986640.1%
Valleylab2,0103530.3%
Vaso View Hemopro1,83800.1%
LigaSure Impact1,831720.3%
THUNDERBEAT 5 mm, 35 cm, Front-actuated Grip1,505380.3%
Thunderbeat 5mm 35cm Front-Actuated Grip1,24700.2%
Valleylab Ft101,20320.3%
Vasoview Hemopro1,18700%
Ligasure Advance Pistol Grip97000%
Ligasure Atlas Handswitching 37cm92400.2%
Edge8591710.1%
Force Fx780220.4%

Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA also states that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product."

Questions about Conmed reports

How many FDA reports name Conmed?

900 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 89 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

malfunction (65.6%), injury (24.1%) and other (8.4%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

material fragmentation (10.9%), self-activation or keying (10.2%), device remains activated (7.9%), sticking (5.6%) and delivered as unsterile product (4.3%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

manufacturer reports (80.8%) and voluntary reports (6.7%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that Conmed was at fault?

No. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA adds that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report."

How do I report a problem with a medical device?

Through FDA MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 for health professionals and consumers), or to the manufacturer. See the guide on how to report.

Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Device Adverse Event (MAUDE) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 31 Aug 2026. Brand, generic and manufacturer names are as written on the reports; product code names come from FDA's device classification. A report counts here when any device it lists carries this brand name after punctuation and capitalisation are normalised. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.

Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.