ArthroCare to Introduce Novel Knee Surgery Device Today at Orthopedic Meeting.

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 13, 2002

For Athletes, Fitness Enthusiasts and Weekend Warriors,

New Low-Temperature Radio Wave Treatment is Alternative

to Open-Knee and Thermal Techniques

Using a low-temperature form of radio wave energy to gently dissolve rather than burn or cut tissue, doctors say they are encouraged by the results of using a new surgical device that removes meniscal tears, an often debilitating knee injury that is believed to affect nearly one million Americans each year.

Virtually bloodless and exceptionally controllable, the radio wave device, developed by ArthroCare Corporation (Nasdaq:ARTC), is designed to remove torn knee joint tissue by dissolving the problem areas in a field of ionized gas about the width of a strand of human hair. Called the RazorVac(TM) ArthroWand(R), the thin, tube-shaped transmitter (in technical terms, a bipolar radiofrequency device) is considered a minimally invasive option to open-knee surgery and heat-based procedures.

ArthroCare said it will introduce the RazorVac today to coincide with the opening of the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in Dallas. U.S. doctors perform approximately 800,000 menisectomies a year, according to some industry estimates.

"This is a unique and versatile application of radio frequency that already has been used in over one and a half million surgical procedures," said Francois Antounian, MD, a San Francisco orthopedic surgeon and one of several U.S. surgeons who helped evaluate the RazorVac prior to its general release today. "With the expansion of this technology into menisectomies, I believe surgeons can see significant improvements in the outcomes of these procedures."

The Radio Wave Alternative

The menisci act as the knee's natural shock absorber and help prevent cartilage wear while also providing joint lubrication and joint stability. Meniscus tears occur when the knee is twisted or rotated while bearing weight. They can be excruciatingly painful and are one of the most common types of sports injury.

While the meniscus surgery device is new, it is based on ArthroCare's successful Coblation(R) Multi-Electrode Technology(TM) that was first cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in 1995. Since then, ArthroCare radio wave devices have treated over 1.5 million patients for a variety of common medical problems, ranging from tonsillectomies and face wrinkle reduction, to spine and brain surgery.

In December 2001, an article in the scientific journal Applied Physics Letters validated that surgical devices using the patented Coblation(R) technology produce a field of ionized gas that can remove diseased and injured tissue.

RazorVac(TM) is a biopolar electrosurgical device featuring 21active electrodes and considered by the company as the most sophisticated of its line of radio frequency ArthroWands ever developed.

About Arthrocare

ArthroCare Corp., based in Sunnyvale, CA, develops, manufactures and markets medical products based on its patented Coblation technology. The company believes its products can replace the multiple surgical tools traditionally used in soft-tissue surgery with one multi-purpose surgical system. The company's strategy includes applying its patented Coblation technology to a broad range of soft-tissue surgical markets, including arthroscopic surgery, cosmetic surgery, ear, nose and throat surgery, spinal surgery, neurosurgery, general and gynecology surgery (including open and laparoscopic approaches), and various cardiology applications. The company's website is www.arthrocare.com.

Safe Harbor Statements

Except for historical information, this press release includes forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, the expectations regarding trends in newly commercialized markets, the company's belief that certain surgical products and procedures will enhance achievement of the company's long-term potential, the sustainability of growth rates in certain markets, the affect of anticipated government regulatory clearances, continued success of product diversification efforts, and other statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the uncertainty of success of the company's non-arthroscopic products, competitive risk, uncertainty over reimbursement, need for governmental clearances or approvals before selling products, and the uncertainty of protecting the company's patent position. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including ArthroCare's Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2000 and the 10-Q for the quarter ended September 29, 2001. Forward-looking statements are indicated by words or phrases such as "anticipates", "estimates", "projects", "believes", "intends", "expects", and similar words and phrases. Actual results may differ materially from management plans.