Medtronic sees revenue accelerating in 2nd half

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Medtronic Inc. (MDT.N) on Monday said it still expects revenue growth to accelerate in the second half of fiscal 2008 due to product launches and greater availability of a replacement for a recalled heart device component.

On a conference call with analysts after the company released second-quarter earnings, Medtronic Chief Financial Officer Gary Ellis said the medical device maker would not be surprised if Wall Street's consensus estimate for fiscal 2008 earnings per share remained near $2.52 a share, plus or minus a few cents.

Medtronic earlier Monday said quarterly net earnings fell 2 percent from a year ago as the recall of a component used with its implantable devices to treat abnormal heart rhythms hurt revenue.

Medtronic last month suspended sales of the Sprint Fidelis line of leads, or wires that link the heart to an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), saying the equipment may have contributed to five patient deaths.

(Reporting by Susan Kelly; Editing by Gary Hill)