Lexington Medical sues Medtronic over surgical stapler market
Rival accuses Medtronic of illegal monopoly in surgical stapler market through exclusionary tactics.
The Medtronic headquarters at 8200 Coral Sea Street NE, Mounds View, Minnesota. (Image via Wikimedia Commons) (Photo via Courthouse News)
Massachusetts-based manufacturer Lexington Medical, Inc. filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against Medtronic, Inc. on Nov. 5, 2026, alleging the global medical device company maintains an illegal monopoly in the laparoscopic stapler market. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, claims Medtronic holds more than a 90% market share through exclusionary tactics.
The lawsuit asserts that Medtronic utilizes restrictive agreements and bundled pricing strategies to pressure hospitals into avoiding competing products, including the AEON Endoscopic Stapling System produced by Lexington Medical. According to the filing, the defendant allegedly instructed its sales force to report any instances where a hospital attempted to trial or purchase a rival device, labeling such actions as a violation of existing contracts.
Lexington Medical contends that these practices prevent fair competition, stating in the complaint that the defendant wins through exclusionary conduct what it cannot win on the merits. The plaintiff points to a previous federal antitrust case involving Applied Medical Resources Corp., in which a jury ordered Medtronic to pay $382 million in damages for monopolistic practices regarding advanced bipolar surgical devices.
The current litigation alleges that Medtronic’s strategy in the surgical stapler market mirrors the conduct found unlawful in the prior case. Medtronic, which expanded its presence in the market through the 2014 acquisition of Covidien, has not yet provided a response to the allegations, and no court dates have been scheduled.