New Website Launched for Patients With Broken Bones

www.exogen.com - new information resource for people seeking active role in recovery


RALEIGH, N.C. and DURHAM, N.C., Sept. 29  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A new website designed to help thousands of patients with broken bones has been launched by Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN)(LSE:SN).

An estimated 6.8 million fractures happen annually in the USA, resulting in 14 million visits to emergency rooms or medical facilities at a cost of around $21 billion(1).  One in every 100 people experience a broken bone each year and up to 10% may suffer from delayed healing, preventing them from regaining their lives quickly.

http://www.exogen.com/ provides information about broken bones and the healing process, including tips from healthcare professionals on how patients may be able to aid recovery.

The website also explains risk factors that can delay bone healing, such as smoking(2), diabetes and obesity. Some broken bones may be less likely to heal because of their location -- the clavicle (collarbone), scaphoid (joining the wrist to the hand), tibia (shinbone), and 5th metatarsal (small toe bone).

For patients prescribed with the Smith & Nephew EXOGEN(TM) Ultrasound Bone Healing System(3) to aid their recovery, http://www.exogen.com/ explains how the clinically proven(3) technology works - complete with real-life patient success stories. EXOGEN(TM) is the only device approved to accelerate the healing of indicated(4) fresh fractures.

Brett Crist, MD, Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon and Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri, said: "Patients want to be active earlier and return to normal function as soon as possible after a fracture. As a result, they are motivated to learn about fracture healing and how the treatments we prescribe are going to help them.  For today's patient, the internet is often the first place they go -- the new website will be very useful for both patients and physicians."

Janie Bates, Vice President of Marketing for Smith & Nephew Clinical Therapies, added: "We spend a lot of time listening to the needs of healthcare professionals and their patients, and the new bone healing website is a direct result. More people want an active role in their recovery and to understand the treatment their physician is prescribing. http://www.exogen.com/ can help in both these instances because it is designed to answer a wide range of bone healing questions and is available 24/7."

  Editors notes:

  1. Forbes magazine estimated the annual cost of broken bones in the USA at
     $21 billion.
  2. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there are
     an estimated 43 million smokers in the USA, nearly 24 million people
     suffering from diabetes and obesity has risen to over 20% of the
     population in almost every State.
  3. The EXOGEN(TM) Ultrasound Bone Healing System is #1 in fracture
     stimulation market share, based on publicly available company reports
     (2008). It is the only device approved to accelerate healing of
     indicated (see item 4 below) fractures. It is an ultrasound technology
     that you apply directly to skin at the fracture site for 20 minutes a
     day. When used according to instructions on indicated(4) fresh
     fractures, EXOGEN may speed healing by up to 38%(1). When applied
     according to instructions to fractures that will not heal (see item 5
     below), it has succeeded in 86% of cases(2).  In addition, patients
     with indicated fresh fractures who used EXOGEN treatment were able to
     have their casts removed an average of 22% sooner than patients with no
     bone healing device(1).  References: 1 Heckman JD, Ryaby JP, McCabe J,
     Frey JJ, Kilcoyne RF. Acceleration of tibial fracture-healing by
     non-invasive, low-intensity pulsed ultrasound. J Bone Joint Surg Am.
     1994 Jan;76(1):26-34: 2 Nolte PA, van der Krans A, Patka P, Janssen IM,
     Ryaby JP, Albers GH. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound in the treatment
     of *nonunions. J Trauma. 2001 Oct;51(4):693-703.
  4. The EXOGEN System is indicated for the non-invasive treatment of
     established *nonunions, excluding skull and vertebra. In addition, it
     is indicated for accelerating healing in fresh fractures of the distal
     radius (fractures of the end of the large bone in the forearm) and
     tibial diaphysis (fractures in the middle 80% of the large bone in the
     lower leg).

  5. A *nonunion is considered established when the fracture site shows no
     visibly progressive signs of healing.



Media Inquiries: Camilla Harrison [phone]; Robin Gilliland, Brunswick Group 212 333 3810

About Us - Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business, specializing in Orthopaedics, including Reconstruction, Trauma and Clinical Therapies; Endoscopy and Advanced Wound Management. Smith & Nephew is a global leader in arthroscopy and advanced wound management and is one of the leading global orthopaedics companies.

Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people's lives. The Company prides itself on the strength of its relationships with its surgeons and professional healthcare customers, with whom its name is synonymous with high standards of performance, innovation and trust. The Company operates in 32 countries around the world. Annual sales in 2008 were $3.8 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements regarding planned growth in our business and in our operating margins discussed under "Outlook" are forward-looking statements as are discussions of our product pipeline. These statements, as well as the phrases "aim", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "consider" and similar expressions, are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors (including, but not limited to, the outcome of litigation and regulatory approvals) that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Smith & Nephew, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Please refer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith & Nephew's most recent annual report on Form 20F, for a discussion of certain of these factors. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Smith & Nephew as of the date hereof. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith & Nephew or any person acting on behalf of Smith & Nephew are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing. Smith & Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Smith & Nephew's expectation with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

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DATASOURCE: Smith & Nephew



CONTACT:  Camilla Harrison of Smith & Nephew, [phone]; or

Robin Gilliland, Brunswick Group, [phone], for Smith & Nephew



Web Site:  http://www.exogen.com/ 

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