CardioThoracic Systems and Tenet HealthSystem Collaborate on Physician Training for New Coronary Bypass Surgery Technique.

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 1996--CardioThoracic Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CTSI)(CTS) and Tenet HealthSystem Inc., (NYSE/PSE: THC) a subsidiary of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, announced a collaborative program to train Tenet-affiliated physicians on new treatment options in the field of minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

The agreement provides CTS with preferred vendor status to assist selected Tenet facilities in the further development and refinement of the Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass (MIDCAB) procedure. MIDCAB allows surgeons to perform coronary artery bypass surgery without splitting the breastbone and stopping the heart, as in traditional Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) procedures.

Members of the CTS Scientific Advisory Board will train cardiothoracic surgeons affiliated with Tenet hospitals to perform the beating heart bypass procedure using the CTS MIDCAB system, which has been specially designed to provide minimally invasive access to the chest cavity through a small window between the ribs and to completely isolate and stabilize the motion of the beating heart at the repair site.

In addition to site training and proctoring, Tenet and CTS will sponsor an educational symposium for Tenet-affiliated physicians and work together to create a clinical patient registry database to track both short- and long-term results and document the cost-effectiveness of the MIDCAB approach.

"Tenet actively pursues partnerships with developers of new technologies to help ensure that our patients have access to the most recent advances in medical care," said Michael H. Focht Sr., Tenet president and chief operating officer. "Heart disease is among the nation's top health problems. This collaboration with CTS will allow Tenet to bring minimally invasive technology in cardiac surgery directly to the hospital level reducing length of stay and cost. This practice is keeping in line with Tenet's philosophy of providing high quality patient care at cost-efficient levels."

Added Richard Ferrari, CardioThoracic System president and chief executive officer, "This is a tremendous opportunity for both CTS and Tenet to work closely to train and educate the Tenet cardiac surgery teams and patients on the benefits of minimally invasive beating heart coronary bypass. In partnering with major healthcare provider organizations such as Tenet HealthSystem, CTS is one step closer to standardizing the method for performing beating heart surgery and providing widespread availability of the products necessary to perform the MIDCAB procedure."

According to CTS officials in evaluating their early experience with the MIDCAB procedure, MIDCAB surgeons report significant patient benefits over those who have received the standard bypass procedure, including less operative trauma, improved recovery times, shorter intensive care unit and hospital stays, reduced post-operative complications and lower procedure costs.

A significant patient benefit of the MIDCAB procedure is the elimination of the cardiopulmonary-bypass ("heart-lung") machine which is used during the standard coronary artery bypass graft procedure. Side effects of cardiopulmonary bypass, although infrequent, may include strokes, multiple organ dysfunction, and/or bleeding, which are some of the most severe post-operative complications in standard coronary bypass surgery.

"This collaboration will help our cardiac surgeons better integrate new advances in minimally invasive cardiac surgery into their clinical practices," said Martin Paris, MD, vice president, Tenet Medical Affairs Department. "We recognize that there are several alternative approaches to minimally invasive cardiac surgery now being developed.

"With constantly evolving technology, surgeons are always challenged to stay current about the latest techniques available. Working together, CTS and Tenet will provide a pathway for Tenet surgeons to learn the MIDCAB technique, improve their surgical skills in the performance of the procedure and better understand its limitations and strengths."

CTS, with headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., is a leader in the emerging field of minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery. The company is developing propriety, disposable instruments and systems designed to enable cardiothoracic surgeons to perform Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Bypass (MIDCAB) surgery. CTS is also engaged in the development of minimally invasive surgical systems for saphenous vein harvesting and cardiac valve surgery.

Through its subsidiaries, Tenet, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., owns and operates 75 acute-care hospitals and numerous related businesses in 13 states. The company's name signals its core business philosophy -- the importance of shared values between partners, including employees, physicians, patients, insurers and communities, in providing a full spectrum of quality healthcare.

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805/563-6861

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805/563-7188

or

FOR CARDIOTHORACIC SYSTEMS

Richard M. Ferrari (CEO)

Steve Van Dick (CFO)

408/342-1700

or

Ann Trunko (General Information)

Kate Rajeck (Analyst Contact)

FINANCIAL RELATIONS BOARD

415/986-1591

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Mark Bizzell/Laura Brooks

(Media Relations)

PORTER/NOVELLI

310/444-7020