Reported Reactions

Devices › Electrosurgical, cutting & coagulation & accessories

Device brand name · Electrosurgical cutting & coagulation & accessories

LigaSure Atlas: medical device reports filed with FDA

588 reports name it, 2004–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Covidien Medical Products. Product code GEI.

588
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 27 a year
16
reports, 12 months to August 2026
24 in the 12 months before
86.6%
classified as malfunction
80.1% across the product code
0.7%
classified as death, as reported
4 reports · not verified by FDA

FDA's MAUDE database holds 588 reports that name the brand "LigaSure Atlas" (electrosurgical cutting & coagulation & accessories), received between June 2004 and August 2026; the manufacturer given most often on reports is Covidien Medical Products. Spellings of one product vary from report to report.

16 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, down 33% from 24 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 (86.6%), injury (12.6%) and death (0.7%); 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 difficult to open or close (31.5%), detachment of device or device component (12.1%) and energy output problem (10%). The patient problems coded most often are hemorrhage/blood loss/bleeding, no patient involvement and bleeding. 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

047Sep 2021: 4Oct 2021: 6Nov 2021: 3Dec 2021: 42022Jan 2022: 0Feb 2022: 5Mar 2022: 4Apr 2022: 5May 2022: 2Jun 2022: 2Jul 2022: 5Aug 2022: 4Sep 2022: 7Oct 2022: 4Nov 2022: 6Dec 2022: 32023Jan 2023: 5Feb 2023: 5Mar 2023: 3Apr 2023: 2May 2023: 6Jun 2023: 4Jul 2023: 2Aug 2023: 0Sep 2023: 7Oct 2023: 3Nov 2023: 5Dec 2023: 72024Jan 2024: 5Feb 2024: 4Mar 2024: 5Apr 2024: 1May 2024: 4Jun 2024: 3Jul 2024: 5Aug 2024: 2Sep 2024: 1Oct 2024: 2Nov 2024: 0Dec 2024: 12025Jan 2025: 1Feb 2025: 3Mar 2025: 3Apr 2025: 3May 2025: 0Jun 2025: 0Jul 2025: 6Aug 2025: 4Sep 2025: 5Oct 2025: 2Nov 2025: 0Dec 2025: 02026Jan 2026: 0Feb 2026: 1Mar 2026: 2Apr 2026: 0May 2026: 1Jun 2026: 3Jul 2026: 1Aug 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

041822004: 2220042005: 522007: 320072009: 72010: 420102011: 92012: 820122013: 62014: 820142016: 42017: 4820172018: 432019: 8220192020: 612021: 6620212022: 472023: 4920232024: 332025: 2720252026: 9

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death0.7%4
Injury12.6%74
Malfunction86.6%509
Other0%0
Not given0.2%1

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report86.2%507
Voluntary report1%6
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given12.8%75

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
Difficult to open or close18531.5%4.9%
Detachment of device or device componentpart of the device came off7112.1%3.8%
Energy output problem5910%3.6%
Mechanical jam569.5%0.9%
Peeled/delaminated528.8%3%
Sticking356%1.5%
Entrapment of device213.6%0.3%
Replace213.6%2.8%
Breakthe device broke183.1%14%
Separation problem183.1%0.2%
Failure to cut172.9%1.4%
Difficult to removethe device was hard to remove152.6%0.7%
Device alarm system142.4%0.9%
Self-activation or keying142.4%2.3%
Device issuea problem with the device132.2%1%
Retraction problem132.2%1.2%
Intermittent energy output101.7%0.7%
Energy output to patient tissue incorrect81.4%0.8%
Mechanical problema mechanical problem61%1.2%
Protective measures problem50.9%0.6%

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
Hemorrhage/blood loss/bleeding223.7%
No patient involvement223.7%
Bleeding193.2%
Surgical procedure, additional172.9%
Blood loss142.4%
Tissue damage132.2%
Appropriate clinical signs, symptoms and conditions term/code not available91.5%
Failure to anastomose81.4%
Hospitalization required71.2%
Foreign body in patientpart of a device left in the patient61%
Burn(s)a burn30.5%
Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term30.5%
Dural tear30.5%
Therapy/non-surgical treatment, additional30.5%
Tissue breakdown30.5%

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

In context

MeasureLigaSure AtlasProduct code GEIAll MAUDE reports
Reports588118,29026,136,888
Share of that pool—0.5%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports749
Classified as injury12.6%16.7%36.2%
Classified as malfunction86.6%80.1%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer86.2%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 LigaSure Atlas reports

How many FDA reports name LigaSure Atlas?

588 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 16 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

malfunction (86.6%), injury (12.6%) and death (0.7%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

difficult to open or close (31.5%), detachment of device or device component (12.1%), energy output problem (10%), mechanical jam (9.5%) and peeled/delaminated (8.8%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

manufacturer reports (86.2%) and voluntary reports (1%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that LigaSure Atlas 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.