Reported Reactions

Devices › Electrosurgical, cutting & coagulation & accessories

Device brand name · Electrosurgical cutting & coagulation & acces

Unknown Ligasure Instrument: medical device reports filed with FDA

347 reports name it, 2012–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Covidien Mfg Dc Boulder. Product code GEI.

347
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 25 a year
35
reports, 12 months to August 2026
52 in the 12 months before
21.9%
classified as malfunction
80.1% across the product code
8.1%
classified as death, as reported
28 reports · not verified by FDA

347 medical device reports received by FDA name the brand "Unknown Ligasure Instrument" (electrosurgical cutting & coagulation & acces); the manufacturer given most often on reports is Covidien Mfg Dc Boulder; received from May 2012 to August 2026. Brand names are as the reporter or manufacturer wrote them, so one product can appear under several spellings.

35 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, down 33% from 52 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 injury (70%), malfunction (21.9%) and death (8.1%); 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 energy output problem (14.4%), insufficient device problem information (1.4%) and device alarm system (0.9%). The patient problems coded most often are hemorrhage/blood loss/bleeding, appropriate clinical signs, symptoms and conditions term/code not available and hematoma. 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: 6Oct 2021: 6Nov 2021: 0Dec 2021: 62022Jan 2022: 1Feb 2022: 2Mar 2022: 5Apr 2022: 3May 2022: 4Jun 2022: 4Jul 2022: 4Aug 2022: 5Sep 2022: 4Oct 2022: 5Nov 2022: 4Dec 2022: 52023Jan 2023: 6Feb 2023: 5Mar 2023: 3Apr 2023: 2May 2023: 2Jun 2023: 4Jul 2023: 1Aug 2023: 4Sep 2023: 1Oct 2023: 7Nov 2023: 4Dec 2023: 52024Jan 2024: 3Feb 2024: 2Mar 2024: 2Apr 2024: 2May 2024: 1Jun 2024: 5Jul 2024: 3Aug 2024: 1Sep 2024: 7Oct 2024: 6Nov 2024: 4Dec 2024: 22025Jan 2025: 5Feb 2025: 6Mar 2025: 2Apr 2025: 6May 2025: 3Jun 2025: 2Jul 2025: 7Aug 2025: 2Sep 2025: 4Oct 2025: 6Nov 2025: 0Dec 2025: 32026Jan 2026: 0Feb 2026: 2Mar 2026: 3Apr 2026: 1May 2026: 8Jun 2026: 5Jul 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

028562012: 1020122013: 1020132019: 3620192020: 3920202021: 5620212022: 4620222023: 4420232024: 3820242025: 4620252026: 222026

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death8.1%28
Injury70%243
Malfunction21.9%76
Other0%0
Not given0%0

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report100%347
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
Energy output problem5014.4%3.6%
Insufficient device problem information51.4%2.8%
Device alarm system30.9%0.9%
Difficult to open or close30.9%4.9%
Mechanical jam30.9%0.9%
Failure to cut20.6%1.4%
Self-activation or keying20.6%2.3%
Detachment of device or device componentpart of the device came off10.3%3.8%
Device remains activated10.3%1.3%
Difficult or delayed activation10.3%0.3%
Difficult to removethe device was hard to remove10.3%0.7%
Failure to fire10.3%0.2%
Fire10.3%1.8%
Retraction problem10.3%1.2%
Separation problem10.3%0.2%

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/bleeding16146.4%
Appropriate clinical signs, symptoms and conditions term/code not available4914.1%
Hematomaa collection of blood under the skin or in tissue267.5%
Laceration(s)236.6%
Blood loss164.6%
Abscessa collection of pus144%
Fistula144%
Biliary leak72%
Burn(s)a burn72%
Perforation72%
Unintended radiation exposure72%
Post operative wound infection61.7%
Fluid discharge51.4%
Seromaa collection of fluid under the skin51.4%
Stenosis51.4%

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

In context

MeasureUnknown Ligasure InstrumentProduct code GEIAll MAUDE reports
Reports347118,29026,136,888
Share of that pool—0.3%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports8149
Classified as injury70%16.7%36.2%
Classified as malfunction21.9%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 Unknown Ligasure Instrument reports

How many FDA reports name Unknown Ligasure Instrument?

347 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 35 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

injury (70%), malfunction (21.9%) and death (8.1%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

energy output problem (14.4%), insufficient device problem information (1.4%), device alarm system (0.9%), difficult to open or close (0.9%) and mechanical jam (0.9%). 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 Unknown Ligasure Instrument 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.