Exeter(R) Hip System Celebrates 40th Anniversary and Manufacture of One-Millionth Hip Stem

Surgeon-Created Orthopaedic Hip System Revolutionized Hip Implant Design, Continues to Deliver Excellent Clinical Results

EXETER, England, April 22, 2010 - Stryker Corporation's Orthopaedics Division is celebrating this month the
one-millionth manufacturing of its Exeter hip stem (
www.exeterhip.co.uk), an implant developed in collaboration with an
orthopaedic surgeon and engineer to address the problem of aseptic loosening.
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the Exeter hip system.

Developed in 1970, the Exeter hip stem was the first ever collarless,
polished and tapered stem, a design which helped to significantly reduce
implant loosening and the rate of revision surgery.

In 1988, the Exeter hip again revolutionized hip replacement surgery when
Stryker supplemented its design with femoral heads of different lengths and
sizes, enabling surgeons to better recreate patients' unique anatomy, among
other benefits. By more closely matching the biomechanics of patients, the
Exeter hip replacement system provides surgeons the potential to reduce
dislocation and leg length discrepancies, which can be associated with
readmission and revision surgery.

"I can truly say that the Exeter hip system remains the most successful
hip replacement system ever developed, and this is confirmed on all National
Joint Registers," said Mr. Graham Gie, consultant orthopaedic surgeon of the
Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Centre, Exeter, and one of the most prominent
Exeter surgeons in the world. "This hip system has stood the test of time and
continues to deliver superior clinical results four decades later because
Stryker continues to supplement its ground breaking design with modern
technological advancements."

Compared to industry standards, the revision rate is low in patients who
have an Exeter hip replacement. Stem survivorship for aseptic loosening is
93.14% of patients 33 years after surgery.(1)

"Since the original creation of the Exeter system, Stryker has continued
to work with the most advanced technologies to enhance the Exeter system and
hopefully improve clinical outcomes for all our implants," said Laura
Piccinini, president of Stryker Europe. "We have always believed that the
best orthopaedic products are only developed by working closely with
surgeons. Exeter's 40 years of success are a testament to that philosophy."

In 1970, Professor Robin Ling of the Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic
Hospital and Dr. Clive Lee of the University of Exeter realized that hip
implants currently on the market were resulting in many revision surgeries as
a result of implant loosening, osteolysis and trochanteric reattachment. To
attempt to solve these problems, the surgeons partnered with a medical device
maker to develop a new implant design in an effort to address these issues.

As a result of the unprecedented success of the Exeter hip stem
(www.exeterhipfoundation.com/the-exeter-hip.php) and their
contributions to the field of orthopaedics, Stryker recently honored Ling and
Lee during an educational meeting in Prague.

Orthopaedic surgeons from Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Centre, who
developed Exeter technology, host implant and surgical technique training at
four/five sessions each year at its facilities in the United Kingdom. There
are also local Exeter training sessions held throughout the world especially
in Australia, Brazil and Japan. These sessions have spread orthopaedic
expertise throughout the world, helping to reduce osteoarthritis pain and
other complications for hundreds of thousands of patients.

(1) JOA 2009 Jun, Ling et al "The long term results of the original
Exeter polished cemented component; a follow up report"

About Stryker Orthopaedics

Stryker Orthopaedics is a division of the Stryker Corporation, one of the
world's leading medical technology companies. Stryker Orthopaedics offers an
extensive orthopaedic product portfolio including hip, knee and upper
extremity and joint preservation reconstructive devices, bone cement, trauma
implants and bone substitutes. For more information about Stryker
Orthopaedics, visit
www.stryker.com/en-us/products/Orthopaedics/index.htm.

    Media Contacts:
    Elizabeth McGivern                   Russell Weigandt
    Stryker Orthopaedics                 Kwittken & Company
    +07774777009                         +1-646-747-7163
    elizabeth.mcgivern@stryker.com       rweigandt@kwitco.com

Media, Elizabeth McGivern, Stryker Orthopaedics, +07774777009, elizabeth.mcgivern at stryker.com; or Russell Weigandt, Kwittken & Company, +1-646-747-7163, rweigandt at kwitco.com