St. Jude Medical to Showcase Bypass Connector Devices and Newest Mechanical Heart Valve At AATS.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

AATS 

Booths 407 and 415

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2002

St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) will demonstrate its Symmetry(TM) Bypass System anastomotic devices and its newest mechanical heart valve, the SJM Regent(TM) valve, at the upcoming American Association of Thoracic Surgeons (AATS) meeting, May 5-8, in Washington D.C.

More than 23,000 implants of the Symmetry(TM) Bypass System Aortic Connector have occurred worldwide. The device received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in May 2001 and European CE Marking in May 2000.

The Symmetry(TM) Bypass System Aortic Connector is the market's first sutureless mechanical connector for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. The device deploys in seconds, providing a precise and reproducible anastomosis (connection). The Aortic Connector allows cardiac surgeons to attach vein grafts to the aorta without using sutures and eliminates the need to clamp the aorta during coronary artery bypass procedures.

The ability to perform clampless aortic anastomoses can potentially reduce other risks associated with cardiac bypass surgery. Studies show that manipulating the aorta during bypass surgery may cause cerebral embolization, a major cause of adverse neurological outcomes following surgery.

Preliminary data from a Duke University Medical Center study indicates that using the Symmetry(TM) Bypass System Aortic Connector reduces the amount of cerebral microemboli tenfold versus a patient-matched "on-pump" group and offers a 2.5 fold decrease in microemboli versus a matched "off-pump" group, both of which required full or partial clamping of the aorta.

St. Jude Medical is developing a full line of mechanical connectors and delivery systems - known as the Symmetry(TM) Bypass System - for CABG procedures. These anastomotic technologies will offer the potential for a faster and easier cardiac bypass operation, potentially connecting all grafts to the heart and other locations. This innovative approach to CABG surgery may facilitate increased use of off-pump or "beating heart" procedures, potentially reducing complications and improving patient outcomes.

The Company has recently launched a new web site for CABG patients - learnaboutbypass.com - that will be showcased at AATS. The site provides information about the progression and treatment of heart disease, the outcomes and risks of current bypass techniques, and information on the Symmetry(TM) Bypass System Aortic Connector and clampless bypass surgery.

St. Jude Medical will also highlight its next-generation "gold standard" mechanical heart valve, the SJM Regent(TM) valve, which was launched in the U.S. in March 2002. Maintaining the fundamental features found in St. Jude Medical's industry-leading mechanical valves, the SJM Regent(TM) valve offers the high standards of exceptional structural integrity, durability and low complication rates that have characterized St. Jude Medical valves for nearly 25 years. Most importantly, the SJM Regent(TM) valve sets a new standard for hemodynamic performance, with single-digit pressure gradients in valves as small as 19 mm. These unprecedented hemodynamics may contribute to better survival and improved long-term patient outcomes.

In addition to its mechanical and tissue valve products, St. Jude Medical offers a line of repair products for mitral valve procedures. At AATS, the Company will demonstrate its new Sure-Lock(TM) Delivery System, an annuloplasty ring delivery system designed for simplified implantation of the Company's SJM(R) Seguin and SJM Tailor(TM) annuloplasty rings. The unique holder handle can be quickly and easily attached, detached and reattached during valve repair, facilitating easier implantation for the surgeon. The Sure-Lock(TM) Delivery System also provides an extension handle for added maneuverability during minimally invasive procedures.

"AATS presents a valuable opportunity to gather feedback from our physician customers, while demonstrating our latest heart valve and anastomotic technologies," said Steven J. Healy, President of St. Jude Medical's Cardiac Surgery Division. "For 25 years, surgeons have overwhelmingly put their trust in our Company and its products. Our goal is to continue offering these customers the most advanced products for a wide range of cardiac surgery procedures."

St. Jude Medical will be at Booths 407 and 415 at AATS.

St. Jude Medical, Inc. (www.sjm.com) is dedicated to the design, manufacture and distribution of innovative medical devices of the highest quality, offering physicians, patients and payers unmatched clinical performance and demonstrated economic value.