Reported Reactions

Devices › Electrosurgical, cutting & coagulation & accessories

Device brand name · Electrosurgical cutting & coagulation & accessories

Cool-tip: medical device reports filed with FDA

456 reports name it, 2017–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Covidien Mfg Dc Boulder. Product code GEI.

456
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 48 a year
28
reports, 12 months to August 2026
25 in the 12 months before
78.1%
classified as malfunction
80.1% across the product code
2%
classified as death, as reported
9 reports · not verified by FDA

456 medical device reports received by FDA name the brand "Cool-tip" (electrosurgical cutting & coagulation & accessories); the manufacturer given most often on reports is Covidien Mfg Dc Boulder; received from February 2017 to August 2026. Brand names are as the reporter or manufacturer wrote them, so one product can appear under several spellings.

28 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, up 12% from 25 in 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 (78.1%), injury (20%) and death (2%); 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 temperature problem (42.3%), no flow (14.3%) and device alarm system (5.7%). The patient problems coded most often are burn(s), no patient involvement and appropriate clinical signs, symptoms and conditions term/code not available. 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

048Sep 2021: 4Oct 2021: 3Nov 2021: 4Dec 2021: 42022Jan 2022: 2Feb 2022: 3Mar 2022: 3Apr 2022: 3May 2022: 1Jun 2022: 5Jul 2022: 1Aug 2022: 4Sep 2022: 5Oct 2022: 0Nov 2022: 1Dec 2022: 02023Jan 2023: 0Feb 2023: 1Mar 2023: 2Apr 2023: 4May 2023: 1Jun 2023: 1Jul 2023: 1Aug 2023: 2Sep 2023: 1Oct 2023: 3Nov 2023: 1Dec 2023: 22024Jan 2024: 5Feb 2024: 1Mar 2024: 0Apr 2024: 2May 2024: 1Jun 2024: 0Jul 2024: 2Aug 2024: 1Sep 2024: 3Oct 2024: 5Nov 2024: 0Dec 2024: 02025Jan 2025: 1Feb 2025: 1Mar 2025: 0Apr 2025: 2May 2025: 0Jun 2025: 2Jul 2025: 8Aug 2025: 3Sep 2025: 2Oct 2025: 4Nov 2025: 3Dec 2025: 22026Jan 2026: 4Feb 2026: 3Mar 2026: 5Apr 2026: 1May 2026: 0Jun 2026: 1Jul 2026: 2Aug 2026: 1

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

0541082017: 10820172018: 9020182019: 7520192020: 3720202021: 3420212022: 2820222023: 1920232024: 2020242025: 2820252026: 172026

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death2%9
Injury20%91
Malfunction78.1%356
Other0%0
Not given0%0

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report100%456
Voluntary report0%0
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given0%0

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
Temperature problem19342.3%0.5%
No flow6514.3%0.2%
Device alarm system265.7%0.9%
Device displays incorrect message194.2%2.9%
Peeled/delaminated163.5%3%
Breakthe device broke143.1%14%
Detachment of device or device componentpart of the device came off143.1%3.8%
Failure to fire143.1%0.2%
Intermittent energy output143.1%0.7%
Flare or flash102.2%0.2%
Difficult or delayed activation71.5%0.3%
Overheating of device71.5%1.3%
Connection problema connection problem61.3%0.7%
Ambient temperature problem51.1%0%
Energy output problem51.1%3.6%
Image display error/artifact40.9%0.2%
Inaccurate delivery40.9%0.2%
Difficult to removethe device was hard to remove30.7%0.7%
Component missing20.4%0.5%
Device damaged prior to receipt by user20.4%0%

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(s)a burn388.3%
No patient involvement347.5%
Appropriate clinical signs, symptoms and conditions term/code not available204.4%
Partial thickness (second degree) burn204.4%
Superficial (first degree) burn153.3%
Laceration(s)71.5%
Full thickness (third degree) burn61.3%
Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term51.1%
Skin discoloration51.1%
Injurya physical injury40.9%
Hemorrhage/blood loss/bleeding30.7%
Pleural effusionfluid around the lung30.7%
Arrhythmia20.4%
Chest painchest pain20.4%
Fever20.4%

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

In context

MeasureCool-tipProduct code GEIAll MAUDE reports
Reports456118,29026,136,888
Share of that pool—0.4%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports2049
Classified as injury20%16.7%36.2%
Classified as malfunction78.1%80.1%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer100%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 Cool-tip reports

How many FDA reports name Cool-tip?

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

What kinds of events are reported?

malfunction (78.1%), injury (20%) and death (2%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

temperature problem (42.3%), no flow (14.3%), device alarm system (5.7%), device displays incorrect message (4.2%) and peeled/delaminated (3.5%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

manufacturer reports (100%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that Cool-tip 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.