Cleveland Clinic, Stryker Form Alliance to Develop Orthopaedic Operating Rooms of the Future

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Clinic and Stryker Corporation, one of the world's largest medical device manufacturers, announced today the formation of a strategic alliance to develop orthopaedic operating rooms of the future.

Under terms of the 10-year alliance, Stryker will support The Cleveland

Clinic in developing, testing and advancing image-guided surgery systems and

other advanced orthopaedic surgical technologies to improve patient care. In

addition, Stryker personnel will help educate and train Clinic physicians and

other medical professionals in the use of these technologies. Financial terms

of the alliance were not disclosed.

"This alliance provides a support mechanism for the Clinic's technology

development and commercialization activities in the advancement of orthopaedic

surgery, a field that is growing exponentially in response to the aging

population," said Joseph Hahn, MD, a surgeon and chairman of CCF

Innovations, The Cleveland Clinic's technology commercialization arm.

"Collaborating with Stryker enables the Clinic's orthopaedic surgeons to build

upon their technological knowledge and experience in image-guided surgery and

advance research in this field for the benefit of patients."

Stryker and The Cleveland Clinic will develop an undetermined number of

high-tech orthopaedic operating rooms with fully integrated technological

capabilities, including navigation systems, minimally invasive surgery

equipment and communication platforms.

Three state-of-the-art orthopaedic operating rooms are under construction

at The Cleveland Clinic. The rooms are being equipped with the latest

operative technology and instrumentation, including arthroscopy equipment and

operative navigation systems for computer-assisted knee and hip replacement

procedures. Demand for these procedures is expected to increase between 10 and

15 percent per year for the next 40 years in response to the growing elderly

population.

The Cleveland Clinic brings to the collaboration a world-renowned

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, ranked among the nation's top five

orthopaedics departments in 2004 by U.S. News & World Report. The Clinic will

serve as a premier site for Stryker to showcase its latest technologies while

collaborating with the Clinic on research and the development of new products

and clinical applications.

"This strategic alliance will allow us to perform more innovative

procedures more effectively and efficiently," said Joseph P. Iannotti, MD,

PhD, chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at The Cleveland

Clinic. "It is a reflection of our strength in the field of orthopaedics and

our continued effort to deliver world-class care to our patients and their

families."

Stryker Corporation offers the most broadly based products and services in

the worldwide orthopaedic industry. It also has a rapidly growing presence in

other healthcare specialties and is one of the world's largest medical device

companies. Stryker delivers results through a wide range of capabilities,

including joint replacements, trauma, spine and micro implant systems,

orthobiologics, powered surgical instruments, surgical navigation systems and

endoscopic products as well as patient handling and emergency medical

equipment. Stryker also provides outpatient physical therapy services in the

United States.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for-

profit multi-specialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and

hospital care with research and education.

Source: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation