UTICA, N.Y., Aug 19, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- ConMed Corporation (Nasdaq: CNMD) announced today, that its subsidiary, Linvatec Corporation has completed a co-exclusive distribution agreement with DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company. DePuy will distribute Linvatec's Hall(R) Surgical line of PowerPro(R) battery powered surgical instruments in the United States. ConMed will also continue to distribute these products through its own sales channels.

DePuy Orthopaedics is a leading provider of orthopedic implants for hip and knee reconstruction. Its salesforce will begin marketing the PowerPro(R) line of battery powered drills, saws and related accessories immediately.

The new PowerPro(R) battery powered surgical instruments are particularly suited to reconstructive hip and knee implant procedures that are a major focus of the DePuy salesforce. The addition of the PowerPro(R) battery products to the DePuy product portfolio allows for synergy between the DePuy implants and the powered instruments necessary for the reconstructive surgical procedures.

Mr. Joseph J. Corasanti, President and COO of ConMed Corporation, commented, "We are very excited about this relationship with DePuy because of their market leadership and strong distribution. This agreement reaffirms our belief that the PowerPro(R) Battery System is at the top of its class in performance and that PowerPro(R) battery product sales will be a positive force in our future powered instrument sales growth."

Mr. Corasanti added, "As we have anticipated securing this agreement, we reiterate our current third quarter 2002 guidance for total Company sales in the range of $108 - $113 million with earnings per diluted share of $.30 - $.34. Our anticipated third and fourth quarter 2000 sales of powered surgical instruments will include sales to DePuy for demonstration samples used by its salesforce as well as sales for end-users. The sample sales will be at margins less than our overall corporate margin. Our guidance for the full year 2002 also remains unchanged, with expected diluted earnings per share to be $1.37 to $1.42. For 2003 we believe our entire Powered Surgical Instrument product sales will increase 9% over 2002 amounts, in part due to the anticipated favorable effect of the agreement, as well as our own sales of our powered instrument line."

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. The 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, including the above mentioned anticipated revenues and earnings, 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 of CONMED Corporation,
                  +1-315-624-3206; or Lauren Levine, or Lanie Fladell, Media, Dan Budwick, all
                  of Morgen-Walke Associates, +1-212-850-5600
                  /Company News On-Call:  http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/201850.html

URL:              http://www.conmed.com
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