Luxtec Arthroscopes Receive FDA Approval For Marketing In U.S.

Business Editors and Medical Writers

WORCESTER, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--Dec. 28, 1999

-- Series Of Six Arthroscopic Telescopes Enables

Physicians To View Operative Sites During Surgery --

The Fiber Imaging Technologies (FIT) subsidiary of Luxtec Corporation (AMEX:LXU) and its German partner, Schoelly Fiberoptic Gmbh, have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market a line of arthroscopes in the United States.

The Section 510(k) FDA approval enables FIT to offer the arthroscopic telescopes to original equipment manufacturers for incorporation in vision subsystems sold to surgeons and physicians. The rigid-rod arthroscopes are incorporated with lighting, video and monitoring products to improve visibility of operative sites and to enable documentation of arthroscopic procedures on the knee, shoulder, jaw, wrist, ankle and elbow.

Luxtec's own extensive line of light sources, vision systems, fiber optic cables and cameras can be used with the arthroscopic telescopes, the company said.

Six versions of the new product are available, in diameters of either 2.7mm or 4.0mm, each with viewing angles of 0, 30 or 70 degrees. The sizes facilitate viewing of specific body orifices by providing a physician with size and angle alternatives.

Each telescope consists of a rigid rod lens used for viewing and a fiber optic channel for transmitting illumination to the viewing site. Fittings for connecting light sources, cameras and recorders are included. The rod lens system incorporates an objective with several lenses and an ocular eyepiece for viewing. The lens system produces magnification of from 1.8X to 2.3X depending upon the telescope used.

The arthroscopes are available now from Fiber Imaging Technologies for sale to manufacturers of medical subsystems. Pricing depends on volume, features and options required.

50,000 Surgeons Use Luxtec Systems

Fiber Imaging Technologies and its joint venture partner, Schoelly Fiberoptic Gmbh, are leaders in the development of specialty endoscopes, light sources, illumination products and micro-optic cameras for medical, dental and industrial markets. The one-year-old partnership has already provided more than 100 such products to the U.S. market.

Luxtec Corporation, FIT's parent, is the world's leading supplier of surgical vision products including light sources, headlights, telescopes, camera systems, lighted instruments and a variety of ultra-thin endoscopes and fiber optic cables. More than 60 per cent of U.S. surgeons who use vision systems have chosen Luxtec products; over 50,000 surgeons use its products worldwide.

For additional information, contact Sam Stein, Chief Financial Officer, Luxtec Corporation, or Dave McNally, General Manager, Fiber Imaging Technologies, at 326 Clark Street, Worcester, MA 01606, telephone: [phone], or contact the Luxtec website: www.luxtec.com.