News Release

New Research Shows Effects Of Arthrocare's Plasma Technology On Disc Chemistry

STUDY PRESENTED AT SPINE ARTHROPLASTY SOCIETY'S GLOBAL SYMPOSIUM SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (May 5, 2003) — Dr. Conor O'Neill presented data from a pioneering study at the Spine Arthroplasty Society's Global Symposium showing promising data on the treatment of contained herniated discs, including the effects of Coblation® plasma technology on disc chemistry. The complete study has been submitted for publication later this year. “Our results indicate that Coblation plasma technology dramatically increased Interleukin 8 (IL-8), which is associated with angiogenisis and tissue healing, while virtually eliminating Interleukin (IL-1), which is associated with disc degeneration,” said Dr. Conor O'Neill, Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). “This is the first time these results have been demonstrated with a percutaneous discectomy, and adds to the earlier scientific and clinical literature showing that DISC Nucleoplasty™ can be effectively used to treat contained herniated discs. The goal of the chronic animal study was to determine changes to disc chemistry, histology, and biomechanics in a degenerative model using percutaneous discectomy. After creating degenerative discs in pigs, researchers compared those treated with ArthroCare's plasma technology, known as CoblationÒ, to normal and degenerative controls, and analyzed the changes in disc chemistry. “The findings from this groundbreaking UCSF study on disc chemistry, and the recently published Stanford data on disc decompression, expand the scientific foundation for our DISC Nucleoplasty and open Coblation®-Assisted Microdisc (CAM™) procedures,” said David Hovda, vice president and general manager of ArthroCare's Spine division. “Coblation's positive effects on the disc are incredibly encouraging for the millions of people who require herniated disc surgery.” Dr. O'Neill's study data will also be presented at the annual conference of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS) May 18-20. An additional study by Yung Chen, M.D. on ArthroCare's DISC Nucleoplasty was published in the April edition of Spine, showing percutaneous plasma discectomy dramatically reduces intradiscal pressure in normal and moderately degenerated discs. Additional Benefits of Plasma Technology The findings of this study are consistent with other research done on Coblation plasma technology. In separate studies in humans and rabbits, Dr. James Tasto found plasma technology also triggered healing responses in tendons. The research indicated that plasma technology may help initiate new blood vessel development, or angiogenesis, as poor vascularity has been identified as a factor in tendon pathology. About ArthroCare ArthroCare Corp., headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, is a multi-business medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets minimally invasive soft tissue surgical products based on its patented Coblation technology. Coblation uses low-temperature plasma energy to gently and precisely dissolve rather than burn soft tissue, minimizing damage to healthy tissue. ArthroCare targets a multi-billion dollar market opportunity across several medical specialties, significantly improving surgical procedures and enabling new, minimally invasive procedures. ArthroCare's Coblation-based devices have been used in more than two million surgical procedures worldwide. The company has developed and marketed Coblation-based products for arthroscopic, spine/neurologic, ear, nose and throat, cosmetic, urologic, gynecologic and laparoscopic/general surgical procedures, and continues research in other areas.