Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Published · Last updated
On this page
General product information only, not medical advice and not instructions for any procedure. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use and your facility’s policies.
Short answer
An EEA sizer is a reusable, hand-held measuring instrument used to assess colon or rectal lumen diameter so that an appropriately sized intraluminal (circular) stapler head can be chosen. It is a separate instrument from the EEA stapler, and the US FDA’s device database lists it as reusable and requiring sterilization before use (record checked 2026-11-01).
Definition and scope
The FDA and National Library of Medicine’s AccessGUDID database holds a record for a device with the brand name EEA, model 020250, from Covidien LP, with the device description “Reusable Sizer.” The record assigns it the GMDN term “Colorectal sizer,” defined as a hand-held manual surgical instrument designed to assess colon and/or rectal lumen diameter to aid selection of an appropriate size intraluminal stapler (the stapler head) for bowel anastomosis following transection. The definition adds that it is typically made of high-grade stainless steel, with a shaft handle at the proximal end and an oval-shaped head at the distal end, and that it is typically available in a set of graduated sizes (AccessGUDID record 10884521047471, checked 2026-11-01).
This page covers what the sizer is and how to read its records. It does not describe how it is used on a patient. For how the EEA name sits alongside GIA, Endo GIA and TA staplers, see GIA stapler: Endo GIA, TA and EEA names explained.
Sizer versus stapler: how the two relate
The two items answer different questions. The sizer is a measuring instrument that is reused. The EEA circular stapler is the stapling device, and Medtronic lists it in lumen sizes of 21, 25, 28, 31 and 33 mm on its product page for the EEA circular stapler with DST Series technology (checked 2026-11-01). That page also states: “The existing reusable sizers are compatible with the DST Series™ EEA™ staplers.”
| Attribute | EEA sizer | EEA circular stapler (DST Series) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Assesses lumen diameter to aid choice of stapler size | Stapling device offered in several sizes | AccessGUDID (GMDN definition); Medtronic page |
| Reusable | Yes (“For Single-Use: No”) | Not stated on the Medtronic page | AccessGUDID |
| Sterilization | Not packaged sterile; requires sterilization prior to use; method listed: moist heat or steam | Not stated on the Medtronic page | AccessGUDID |
| Sizes | Typically a set of graduated sizes | 21, 25, 28, 31 and 33 mm listed; 3.5 mm staple height listed for 21, 25 and 28 mm; 4.8 mm for all five | AccessGUDID; Medtronic page |
What the public record shows, field by field
The AccessGUDID entry (public version 6, dated 24 June 2025) is useful as a checklist of what a facility can confirm about a listed sizer. These are the fields as the record shows them:
- Company name: Covidien LP. Brand name: EEA. Version or model: 020250. Primary device identifier: 10884521047471, issued by GS1.
- Device description: Reusable Sizer. Single-use: No. Prescription use (Rx): Yes.
- Packaged as sterile: No. Requires sterilization prior to use: Yes. Sterilization method: moist heat or steam.
- FDA product code: KOA, “Surgical instruments, G-U, manual (and accessories).” Device exempt from premarket submission: Yes.
- Clinically relevant size: an outer diameter of 31 millimeter, plus a text entry reading “Diameter,25/28,Millimeter.”
The size entries describe this one catalogue listing. They do not, on their own, say which stapler sizes a set of sizers spans, so a set’s contents should be confirmed from the manufacturer’s own documentation rather than inferred from one record.
Where it matters for supply and sterile-processing decisions
Because the sizer is reusable and the record says it requires sterilization before use, it belongs with reusable instrument sets rather than with single-use stapler stock. The following checklist uses only the facts above; each item is a document or field to look at, not a rule from a regulator.
- Match the identifier. Compare the device identifier and model on the instrument’s label with the AccessGUDID record. Background on identifiers: Basic UDI-DI and FDA labeling requirements for medical devices.
- Confirm the stapler line. Medtronic’s statement of compatibility refers to the DST Series EEA staplers. A different stapler line needs its own confirmation from its manufacturer.
- Read the sterilization field. The record lists moist heat or steam. The manufacturer’s instructions for use are the document that gives the reprocessing details; the public record does not.
- Confirm the set contents. The record says sizers typically come as a set of graduated sizes; confirm which sizes your set contains against the stapler sizes you stock.
For the wider question of reusable versus single-use instruments, see autoclavable vs single-use surgical instruments.
Common misunderstandings
“The sizer is part of the stapler.”
The records treat them as separate devices. The sizer has its own AccessGUDID entry, its own model number and a “Reusable Sizer” description.
“The sizer’s size equals the stapler’s size.”
The record describes the sizer as part of a graduated set and lists size text for that one entry. Which sizer pairs with which stapler size is a question for the manufacturer’s instructions for use, and this page does not give a pairing.
“A sizer record shows FDA clearance.”
The record states that the device is exempt from premarket submission. It does not show a device class, so this page does not assign one.
FAQ
What is an EEA sizer?
A reusable, hand-held manual instrument that, per its GMDN definition, assesses colon or rectal lumen diameter to aid selection of an appropriately sized circular stapler head (AccessGUDID, checked 2026-11-01).
Is an EEA sizer reusable?
Yes. The AccessGUDID record for EEA model 020250 reads “For Single-Use: No,” describes it as a “Reusable Sizer,” and says it requires sterilization before use, with moist heat or steam listed as the method.
Is the sizer the same thing as the EEA stapler?
No. The stapler is the stapling device; Medtronic lists it in 21, 25, 28, 31 and 33 mm sizes. The sizer is a separate measuring instrument.
Are existing sizers compatible with the DST Series EEA staplers?
Medtronic’s product page (checked 2026-11-01) states that the existing reusable sizers are compatible with the DST Series EEA staplers.
Sources
Sources checked on 2026-11-01.
- FDA / National Library of Medicine, AccessGUDID, device EEA 10884521047471: https://accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov/devices/10884521047471, checked 2026-11-01.
- Medtronic, EEA circular stapler with DST Series technology (en-gb product page): https://www.medtronic.com/en-gb/healthcare-professionals/products/surgical-stapling/surgical-staplers/circular-staplers/eea-circular-stapler-with-dst-series-technology.html, checked 2026-11-01.
