EXHIBIT 99.1

                         Banc of America Securities LLC

                                                              February 13, 2002



Board of Directors
VidaMed, Inc.
46107 Landing Parkway
Fremont, California 94538

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We hereby consent to the inclusion of our opinion letter, dated December 5,
2001, to the Board of Directors of VidaMed, Inc. (the "Company") regarding the
proposed merger contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of
December 5, 2001 among the Company, Medtronic, Inc. and VidaMed Acquisition
Corp. ("Merger Sub") in the Company's Preliminary Proxy Statement, dated
February 13, 2002, to which this consent is filed as an exhibit (the "Proxy
Statement") and to the reference in the Proxy Statement to our firm and to our
opinion under the headings "Summary Term Sheet - Opinion of VidaMed's Financial
Advisor," "Special Factors - Background of the Merger," "Special Factors -
Recommendation of the Board of Directors and Reasons for the Merger" and
"Special Factors - Opinion of VidaMed's Financial Advisor." This consent is
being delivered only in connection with the filing of the above-mentioned
version of the Proxy Statement and our prior written consent shall be required
in connection with any references to our firm or to our opinion in any
amendments to such version of the Proxy Statement, any future versions of such
Proxy Statement, or any other documents.

In giving the foregoing consent, we do not admit (1) that we come within the
category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the rules and regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") promulgated thereunder
and (2) that we are experts with respect to any part of the Proxy Statement
within the meaning of the term "experts" as used in the Securities Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,



BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC