Expert Sources Available Re: JAMA Article on OFF-PUMP Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

   WHAT:             Results of the Surgical Management of Arterial
                     Revascularization Therapies (SMART) Trial published in
                     the April 21 issue of the Journal of the American
                     Medical Association (JAMA) indicate "beating heart"
                     coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has similar
                     outcomes and results in lower costs after one year when
                     compared to traditional bypass surgery performed with
                     the use of a heart-lung machine.

   WHY:              Coronary artery bypass grafting is performed to bypass
                     arteries that have become blocked due to build up of
                     fatty deposits.  Traditionally, the patient's heart is
                     stopped and a heart-lung machine takes over the heart's
                     blood pumping functions during the surgery.

                     Approximately 30 percent of coronary artery bypass
                     surgeries performed in the United States each year are
                     performed "off-pump," where the heart is beating
                     throughout the surgery, and devices are used to
                     stabilize the heart while the surgeon grafts a vein or
                     artery onto the heart to bypass a blockage.

                     Guidant Corp. , a world leader in the
                     treatment of cardiac and vascular disease, is committed
                     to the development of devices for use during beating
                     heart surgery and strongly supports the procedure,
                     based upon data from more than 1,200 peer-reviewed
                     papers.

   WHO:              Maria Degois-Sainz - President, Cardiac Surgery,
                      Guidant Corporation
                     Michael J. Mack, MD - Medical Director, Cardiovascular
                      Disease and Transplantation, Columbia Medical City
                      Dallas Hospital, Dallas TX
                     Daniel Beckman, MD - Surgical Director, Cardiovascular
                      Critical Care, Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis
                     Mark W. Connolly, MD - Director, Cardiovascular and
                      Thoracic Surgery, Heart & Vascular Institute,
                      Saint Michael's Medical Center, Newark NJ

   NOTE TO EDITORS:  Animation of the beating heart bypass procedure is
                     available at

  http://xgen.vitalstream.com/mcasx.asx?media=1845683&package=1818278 .

   CONTACTS:         Jeff Speer/Susan Mancia
                     FischerHealth
                     310/577-7870, ext. 156/126
                     [e-mail]
                     [e-mail]

PRNewswire -- April 20