UTICA, N.Y., Aug 16, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- CONMED Corporation (Nasdaq: CNMD) announced today that in celebration of its 15 years of trading on the Nasdaq, ConMed will open The Nasdaq Stock Market on Tuesday, August 20, 2002 in a ceremony led by Eugene Corasanti and Joseph Corasanti, the Company's CEO and COO, respectively. "We are proud to have been chosen to open the Nasdaq in honor of this 15-year milestone," commented Joseph J. Corasanti, President and COO of CONMED Corporation.

Mr. Joseph Corasanti is also scheduled to be interviewed by Liz Claman on the CNBC show "Wake Up Call" at approximately 6:40 am Eastern time on Tuesday, August 20, 2002.

Mr. Corasanti continued, "Over the past 15 years, CONMED has evolved from a company that sold a narrow line of hospital supplies and commodity products into a leading medical technology company. We now have at least a number two market position in arthroscopy, powered surgical instruments, electrosurgery and patient care -- and continued double-digit growth in endoscopy, following our recently completed acquisition of Imagyn's product line. Further, since joining the Nasdaq in 1987, CONMED's profitability has expanded significantly, as net income has grown 25 fold."

    ConMed began trading on the Nasdaq on August 18, 1987.

CONMED is a medical technology company specializing in instruments, implants, and video equipment for arthroscopic sports medicine, and powered surgical instruments, such as drills and saws, for orthopedic, ENT, neuro-surgery, and other surgical specialties. The Company is also a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of RF electrosurgery systems used routinely to cut and cauterize tissue in nearly all types of all surgical procedures worldwide, and endoscopy products such as trocars, clip appliers, scissors, and surgical staplers.

Company also manufactures and sells a full line of ECG electrodes for heart monitoring and other patient care products. Headquartered in Utica, New York, the Company's 2,500 employees distribute its products worldwide from eight manufacturing locations.

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on certain assumptions and contingencies that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and relate to the Company's performance on a going-forward basis. The forward-looking statements in this press release involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results, performance or trends, to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements herein or in previous disclosures. The Company believes that all forward-looking statements made by it have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs or projections as expressed in the forward-looking statements will actually occur or prove to be correct. In addition to general industry and economic conditions, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to: (i) the failure of any one or more of the assumptions stated above, to prove to be correct; (ii) the risks relating to forward-looking statements discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001 and the Prospectus dated May 22, 2002; (iii) cyclical purchasing patterns from customers, end-users and dealers; (iv) timely release of new products, and acceptance of such new products by the market; (v) the introduction of new products by competitors and other competitive responses; (vi) the possibility that any new acquisition or other transaction may require the Company to reconsider its financial assumptions and goals/targets; and/or (vii) the Company's ability to devise and execute strategies to respond to market conditions.

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SOURCE CONMED Corporation

CONTACT:          Robert Shallish, Chief Financial Officer, CONMED Corporation,
                  +1-315-624-3206; Investors - Lauren Levine, or Lanie Fladell, +1-212-850-5600,
                  Media - Dan Budwick, +1-212-850-5600, all of Morgen-Walke Associates, for
                  CONMED Corporation
                  /Company News On-Call:  http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/201850.html

URL:              http://www.conmed.com 
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