Covidien has initiated a voluntary recall of all Duet TRS Universal Straight and Articulating Single-Use Loading Units, and has announced it is discontinuing the stapling device, due to reports of injuries the staples have caused among surgical patients.

The recall of all lots of the Duet stapler follow a limited recall earlier this year as a response to reports of incidents among thoracic surgery patients, including 3 deaths and 13 injuries. A more recent report detailed injuries suffered by an abdominal surgery patient.

According to the manufacturer, about 540,000 of the Duet units have been sold since the product's introduction in 2009.

David Bernard