Beating Heart TECAB Completed With a Procedure Time Equivalent to a Conventional Mid-cab, Using the da Vinci Surgical System.

Business Editors/Health and Medical Writers

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--April 18, 2000

Today, Intuitive Surgical, Inc., a leader in computer-enhanced surgical systems, announced that a surgical team from the Cardiovascular Institute, University of Dresden, Germany, successfully completed a beating heart Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass (TECAB) procedure, with three 1-cm incisions and one 12-mm incision, in 2 hours and 10 minutes using the Company's da Vinci(TM) Surgical System.

In January 2000, two German cardiac teams performed the world's first series of closed-chest, endoscopic beating heart cases using the da Vinci(TM) Surgical System. Now, only two months later, a team from the University of Dresden has brought the procedure time down to the equivalent of a conventional case.

Dr. V.A. Subramanian, Director, Department of Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital, commented: "This is a significant step towards making beating heart TECAB procedures the `gold standard' in minimally invasive cardiac surgery."

"This clinical achievement brings us closer to the potential of out-patient CABG surgery. Performing endoscopic beating heart bypass surgery has multiple patient benefits, including significant reductions in pain, trauma and recovery time. Additionally, the avoidance of cardiopulmonary bypass, combined with no real change in operating times, is very powerful in today's healthcare environment. This combination is a win for the patients, surgeons, payors and institutions," Subramanian continued.

After the successful case, Professor Stephan Schuler, Chief of Surgery at the Cardiovascular Institute, University of Dresden, stated: "We are extremely encouraged by the rapid progress in reducing procedure times by using the da Vinci(TM) Surgical System. This progress clearly demonstrates that the technology can be used routinely in our OR. Having completed over 120 cases in the past 11 months, our surgical teams now have the experience necessary to tackle more technically complex procedures. We are now training a third surgical team and anticipate performing a total of five to ten procedures per week in the very near future. We are now poised to take endoscopic cardiac surgery to the next level -- multi-vessel procedures in both stopped and beating heart cases."

About the da Vinci(TM) Surgical System

The da Vinci(TM) Surgical System consists of a surgeon's console, a patient-side cart, a high performance vision system and our proprietary instruments. By placing computer-enhanced technology between the surgeon and patient, we believe that our system enables surgeons to perform better surgery in a manner never before experienced. The da Vinci(TM) Surgical System seamlessly translates the surgeon's natural hand movements on instrument controls at a console into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient through small puncture incisions, or ports. Our da Vinci(TM) Surgical System is the only commercially available technology that can provide the surgeon with the intuitive control, range of motion, fine tissue manipulation capability and 3-D visualization characteristic of open surgery, while simultaneously allowing the surgeon to work through small ports of minimally invasive surgery.

The statements contained in this release may be deemed to contain "forward-looking statements". Such statements are indicated by words or phrases such as "anticipate", "estimate", "projects", "believes", "intends", "expects" and similar words and phrases. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, competition and market acceptance of the Company's products, ability to obtain regulatory approvals and third-party reimbursement, ability to raise additional capital and other risks and uncertainties detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

Intuitive(TM), da Vinci(TM), EndoWrist(TM) and InSite(TM) are trademarks of Intuitive Surgical, Inc.