Intuitive Surgical Announces Collaboration with Medtronic, Inc. in Minimally Invasive Robotic Cardiac Surgery.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 19, 2003

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (Nasdaq:ISRG), the industry leader in operative surgical robotics, today announces an agreement with Medtronic Cardiac Surgery, the world's leading developer of minimally invasive cardiac surgical devices. The agreement involves initiatives on several fronts, including training, marketing and product development for cardiac stabilization devices used during beating heart surgery.

As part of this agreement, Intuitive Surgical will transfer ownership of it's EndoStabilizer System to Medtronic. The EndoStabilizer System is the world's first commercially available stabilization system designed for endoscopic cardiac surgery. The two companies will also embark on co-promotion activity within the field of endoscopic beating heart surgical procedures in Europe, and following FDA clearance, within the United States.

"We are excited to be working with the cardiac industry's most distinguished company," stated Lonnie Smith, Intuitive's President and CEO. "The clinical breadth of our collective field organizations will benefit our mutual customers greatly while helping to advance the rapidly expanding field of minimally invasive cardiac surgery."

"We are excited about our collaboration with the leader in minimally invasive robotic surgery. We look forward to helping our customers advance the field of minimally invasive cardiac surgery," stated Jodi Harpstead, Vice President and General Manager of Medtronic's Cardiac Surgery Technologies Division.

About Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci Surgical System:

First cleared by the FDA in 1997 for assisting surgery and in July 2000 for performing surgery, the da Vinci Surgical System is still the only operative robotic surgery system cleared by the FDA to perform surgery in multiple specialties. With its recent FDA clearance for intracardiac mitral valve repair surgery, the System is also still the only operative robotic system FDA-cleared for performing any type of cardiac surgery. The System consists of a surgeon's console, a patient-side cart, a high performance 3-D vision system and Intuitive Surgical's proprietary EndoWrist(TM) articulating instruments. By integrating computer-enhanced robotic technology with the technical skills of the surgeon, we believe that our system enables surgeons to perform better surgery in a manner never before experienced. The da Vinci Surgical System seamlessly translates the surgeon's natural hand and wrist movements on instrument controls at the console into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient through small puncture incisions, or ports.

The da Vinci 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 the 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.

Note to Editors: Intuitive(R), da Vinci(TM), InSite(TM), and EndoWrist(TM) are trademarks of Intuitive Surgical, Inc.