Smith & Nephew Endoscopy Announces Availability of TRUCLEAR(TM) Hysteroscopic Morcellator at the AAGL Annual Meeting

Innovative System Allows for Efficient Removal of Intrauterine Polyps and Fibroids


ANDOVER, Mass., Nov. 17  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Smith & Nephew's (NYSE: SNN)(LSE:SN) Endoscopy Division announced the launch of the TRUCLEAR(TM)  System, an operative hysteroscopy device, which is now widely available in the United States.  In conjunction with the announcement, Smith & Nephew will host a panel discussion today about hysteroscopy at this year's American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) annual meeting, which is being held in Orlando, Fla. The inventor of the TRUCLEAR System, Mark Hans Emanuel, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Spaarne Hospital, The Netherlands, will chair the panel discussion.

The TRUCLEAR System is a first-of-its kind device that enables a fast and thorough capture and removal of intrauterine polyps and fibroids, and provides healthcare practitioners in obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive health with a uniquely user-friendly technique. The system pairs the visualization capabilities of a hysteroscope with the tissue removal capabilities of a morcellator, allowing healthcare practitioners a quick capture and removal of polyps and fibroids.

"The availability of the TRUCLEAR System provides healthcare practitioners a safe and much-needed option for the half a million women in the United States who seek treatment for intrauterine polyps and fibroids," said Mira Sahney, Director of Gynecology at Smith & Nephew Endoscopy. "Current treatments pose significant challenges, ranging from using electricity in the uterus to obstructed visibility. With the TRUCLEAR System, clarity is uncompromised and the uterus remains intact, so that practitioners can focus on efficiently and safely treating their patients."

The TRUCLEAR System was designed to overcome the primary challenges with current treatments. The system, which has a four-year safety record, is optimized to thoroughly remove tissue so that physicians are not required to make multiple, time-consuming insertions into the uterine cavity, thereby reducing the risks of uterine damage. It cleanly removes tissue from the uterine cavity, leaving the hysteroscopic view unobscured and ultimately allows healthcare practitioners greater clarity to complete a given procedure. Moreover, unlike other treatment options that use a high-frequency electric current, the TRUCLEAR System uses a simple mechanical approach, so that patients are not at risk of damage from internal and external burns caused by uncontrolled leakage of current.

"I use Smith & Nephew's hysteroscopic morcellator for all my polypectomy procedures, as do all of my colleagues," said Seine Chiang, M.D., Seattle, Wash. "The process of removing polyps has been greatly simplified with the TRUCLEAR System."

Prior to its wide availability, the TRUCLEAR System received a high satisfaction rating among obstetricians and gynecologists who participated in a pilot program of the technology. Given the enthusiasm among these early adopters for the surgical device's advantages in a clinical setting, Smith & Nephew Endoscopy is beginning to market the TRUCLEAR System broadly to obstetrics and gynecology practitioners, as well as reproductive health specialists.

Additional information on the TRUCLEAR System and Smith & Nephew's activities at AAGL can be obtained by following the company's Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/smithnephewGYN

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  About Smith & Nephew


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 nearly $3.8 billion.

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  Contact:  Joe Metzger
            SVP, Corporate Communications
            Smith & Nephew Endoscopy
            [phone]
            

DATASOURCE: Smith & Nephew



CONTACT:  Joe Metzger, SVP, Corporate Communications of Smith & Nephew

Endoscopy, [phone], 

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