Surgical Navigation Network Welcomes Linvatec.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 27, 1999--

Surgical Navigation Specialists Inc., a joint venture of ISG Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISGTF) (TSE:ISO.) and Carl Zeiss, Inc., announced today that Linvatec Corporation of Largo, Florida has signed an agreement to become a member company of the Surgical Navigation Network (SNN).

The SNN group of companies integrate their medical equipment with Windows-NT image guided surgery software systems from Surgical Navigation Specialists, Inc. for use in neurosurgery, otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat), and orthopedics.

"The SNN is pleased to welcome Linvatec, the manufacturer of the Hall Surgical line of power surgical instruments and other equipment," says Mr. Reinhard Schmidt, President and General Manager of Surgical Navigation Specialists. "Linvatec's established expertise and leading market share in otolaryngology and orthopaedics complement the existing SNN member companies' strengths. This is a key step in moving forward the SNN's strategy of clustering companies and their technologies by disease or specialty, to produce integrated, clinically effective solutions that leverage a standard, core platform."

Under the terms of the agreement, Surgical Navigation Specialists integrates Linvatec's E9000 Hall Surgical high-speed drill and blade system, designed for use by both otolaryngologists and neurosurgeons, with the SNN image guided surgery system. The E9000 system features integrated irrigation, and advanced software that maintains constant speeds and torque, even under load conditions. The system's high attainable speed enables surgeons to work faster and more efficiently. Integrating the system with SNN image guidance capabilities will also allow greater precision, increasing the surgeons' confidence and reducing invasiveness for the patient.

The integrated system, which will initially target the functional endoscopic sinus surgery specialty, will be available for delivery by the fourth quarter of 1999.

"Linvatec's universal E9000 system is an excellent fit with other SNN products," says Mr. Geoff Lyon, Director, North American Operations, Surgical Navigation Specialists. "It enables a hospital to use a broad range of powered instruments - drills, blades, etc. - powered and controlled by a standard platform, and integrated with SNN's open image guided surgery system. This results in cost savings and easier, faster set-up in the surgical suite."

"We are excited about working with the SNN to add image guidance to our capabilities," says Mr. Joe Gross, President of Linvatec Corporation. "We are impressed with SNN's ability to quickly integrate proprietary technology like ours with an open, Windows NT-based image-guidance solution. The Linvatec endoscopic sinus image guided surgery system is an excellent example of the company's focus on and concern for cost-effective measures that can be passed on to patients all over the world."

Linvatec has also signed a distribution agreement with Carl Zeiss, Inc for the SNN endoscopic sinus image guided surgery system.

Surgical Navigation Specialists Inc. produces and markets plug and play, open-standard image-guided surgery technology and related services. Surgical Navigation Specialists Inc. is the provider of leading-edge image-guided surgery technology to the Surgical Navigation Network. It is a joint venture by I.S.G. Technologies Inc. and Carl Zeiss, Inc.; I.S.G. Technologies is the majority shareholder of the company. Information on the Surgical Navigation Network is available at http://www.surgnav.com . Information on ISG Technologies, including news releases, are available at ISG's internet website, http://www.isgtec.com. Surgical Navigation Network, SNN and the SNN logo are trademarks of Surgical Navigation Specialists, Inc.

Linvatec Corporation is a leading arthroscopy/power surgical instrument equipment manufacturer in the United States and a top market share leader globally. On December 31, 1997, Linvatec was purchased by CONMED Corporation, a medical device company based in Utica, New York. Linvatec, headquartered in Largo, FL, is at the forefront of technology for a growing range of least-invasive and orthopaedic surgery procedures. Linvatec's Hall Surgical line of power surgical instruments are used for oral/maxillofacial, otolaryngology, hand surgery, podiatry, thoracic surgery, and neurosurgery. Additionally, many procedures are supported by a variety of endoscopic and fiber optic products also made at Linvatec. Imaging instruments, including cameras, video monitors and VCRs, are manufactured at Linvatec Imaging Systems division, located in Santa Barbara, California.