ESTECH - Estech - Press Release

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Arthur A Bertolero
President and CEO
ESTECH Inc.
925.866.7111 x 101

ESTECH Beating Heart Surgery Devices Achieve Key Milestone

Surgeons Report Successful Coronary Artery Bypass Operations Achieved with Significant Reduction in Pain, Lengths of Stay

DANVILLE, CA, August 8, 2003- Endoscopic Technologies, Inc. (ESTECH), a medical device company focused on the development and sale of products for use in minimally invasive cardiovascular surgery procedures, announced today that surgeons in the U.S. and Europe have now performed over 100 least invasive beating heart coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures using the ESTECH Access and Stabilization Systems in conjunction with a surgical robot.

The ESTECH products enabled surgeons to access the heart through a minimal incision (a small puncture access port of less than 2 inches); surgeons then isolated and controlled the artery on the surface of the heart, allowing the surgeon to attach a bypass graft without stopping the heart. Most patients were successfully discharged in only two to three days following surgery.

Art Bertolero, ESTECH's President and CEO stated, "The use of our technology fulfills a five-year quest to offer patients the least invasive coronary artery bypass operation possible. With over 100 procedures completed at four different institutions, we believe there is great potential for ultra-small incision coronary artery surgery on a beating heart to become commonplace. This will result in far less pain and shorter recovery time for patients and also lower cost to the hospitals where surgeries are performed".

Dr. Michael Argenziano of New York Presbyterian Hospital has assisted in the development of the ESTECH procedure and was also instrumental in the development of a specialized surgical tool that enables the stabilization of the patient's beating heart through a small puncture while keeping the ultra-small incision open for the surgeon to perform the bypass operation. Together with Dr. Mehmet Oz, Director, Cardiovascular Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital, the surgeons have performed more than 20 successful ultra small incision coronary bypass operations since May 2003. Dr. Argenziano commented, "This procedure gives patients the best of both worlds - a very small incision between the ribs, and a bypass operation on the beating heart, without the use of the heart-lung machine. Our patients are released from the hospital in just a few days with very small scars and excellent results. We are routinely using the patient's own artery from the chest wall to do the bypass, which we prepare using a surgical robot. Studies have shown that using the patients own artery keeps the bypass open for much longer than any other technique."

The company has also worked with other pioneering surgeons in the U.S. and Europe, including:

Ramzi Deeik, M.D. of Queen of the Valley Hospital at Napa Valley Medical Center in Napa, California, was the first surgeon in the San Francisco Bay Area to perform the ESTECH-style procedure, on an 86-year old patient. Dr. Deeik used the Da Vinci Robot by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. to isolate the left internal mammary artery for use as a bypass graft through three 10-millimeter ports. The ESTECH Access and Stabilization System were inserted into another small incision, or "window", between the ribs, allowing Dr. Deeik to bypass a blockage in the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery without stopping the heart. Commenting on the procedure, Dr. Deeik said, "ESTECH technology that allows surgeons to perform heart surgery on a beating heart through a two-inch incision provides great benefits to patients, reducing complications and recovery times."
Frank Van Praet, M.D. at O.L. Vrouw Ziekenjuis Clinic, Aalst, Belgium commented, "We developed a very promising new procedure, a robotically-enhanced mini-thoracotomy for multivessel coronary bypass grafting on the beating heart. The new ESTECH Stabilizer System allowed me to work through an even smaller mini-thoracotomy than before since the stabilizer is introduced through the port made for the left robotic arm. It didn't obstruct the surgical access at all and offered an excellent stabilization. Minimizing the surgical access and avoiding retraction of the bony structures of the thorax offers the patient an optimal postoperative comfort level and recovery to complete rehabilitation."

Added Mr. Bertolero, "It is satisfying to continue to provide enabling technology that offers patients the least invasive alternatives. This ultra small incision procedure is what patients desire. The best news for these patients is that surgeons are using the patient's own artery off their chest wall to bypass the blocked artery rather than having to remove a vein from the patient's leg. Our mission is to make this a standard of care for the majority of patients. We are pleased to be working with physicians at both teaching and community hospitals to bring this advance to the medical community."

About ESTECH
Founded in 1996, ESTECH is a privately held company with headquarters in San Ramon, California. The company is a recognized leader in Least Invasive Cardiac Surgery (LICS), offering a complete system of products for both beating heart and stopped heart surgical approaches. ESTECH products have been used in thousands of procedures throughout the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Further information on ESTECH is available at www.estech.com.

ESTECH, Inc. and "Least Invasive Surgery" are trademarks of Endoscopic Technologies, Inc.

"Da Vinci" is a registered trademark of Intuitive Surgical.

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