Devices Cardiology Surgery

 News Release - May 1, 2006

Boston Scientific Launches Innovative Technologies for Less-Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Endoscopic vessel harvesting speeds recovery and reduces pain and scarring; new products offer clinicians more choices to improve patient outcomes

NATICK, Mass., May 1 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX ) today announced the U.S. launch of the VASOVIEW® 7 Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting System and VASOVIEW® HemoPro(TM) Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting System. The technologies were launched by the Company's Cardiac Surgery business, formerly part of Guidant. Boston Scientific acquired Guidant last month.

Endoscopic vessel harvesting (EVH) allows removal of a vein from the leg or an artery from the arm through one small incision. EVH has been shown to reduce postoperative pain, recovery time, infection rates and scarring, allowing patients to walk sooner and more easily after coronary bypass surgery.

"Endoscopic vessel harvesting has been shown to improve patient outcomes and increase patient satisfaction," said Maria Degois-Sainz, President of Boston Scientific's Cardiac Surgery business. "Today's introduction of two new EVH systems, the seventh generation of our core technology as well as a new tool to further advance harvesting technique, demonstrates our ongoing commitment to EVH and more broadly to providing innovative cardiac surgery solutions that positively impact patient care."

The VASOVIEW 7 and VASOVIEW HemoPro Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Systems expand the Company's VASOVIEW portfolio to form the industry's broadest range of EVH solutions. VASOVIEW 7 streamlines the harvesting process by adding enhancements in ease-of-use, while using an ergonomic platform to which many clinicians are already accustomed. VASOVIEW HemoPro delivers new EVH technology that improves the efficiency of the harvesting process through a one-step activation mechanism. The VASOVIEW Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Systems have been used in more than 500,000 patients to date.

"The VASOVIEW 7 and VASOVIEW HemoPro EVH Systems showcase the continuing leadership of Guidant's former Cardiac Surgery business in technology for EVH, which has become the standard of care for our patients," said John D. Puskas, M.D., Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta. "The addition of these two systems -- together with the unparalleled training support they provide -- allows a new or experienced harvester to obtain a high quality saphenous vein or radial artery with comfort and ease."

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. For more information, please visit: http://www.bostonscientific.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Boston Scientific wishes to caution the reader of this press release that actual results may differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and may be adversely affected by, among other things, risks associated with new product development and commercialization, clinical trials, intellectual property, regulatory approvals, competitive offerings, integration of acquired companies, Boston Scientific's overall business strategy, and other factors described in Boston Scientific's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: Boston Scientific

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