KCI Launches V.A.C.(R) GranuFoam(R) Silver(TM) Dressing; Adds Effective Antimicrobial Barrier to Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI), a global medicaltechnology company with leadership positions in advanced wound careand therapeutic surfaces, today announced the introduction of itsV.A.C.(R) GranuFoam(R) Silver(TM) Dressing into the wound care market.Designed specifically for the V.A.C.(R) Therapy System, V.A.C.(R)GranuFoam(R) Silver(TM) Dressing combines the proven benefits ofNegative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) with the protective attributesof silver. This marks KCI's launch into silver technology and thelatest extension of the GranuFoam(R) family of dressings.

"The anti-microbial characteristics of silver have been known forsome time, and we are dedicating significant research and productdevelopment to benefit from silver's full potential as a wound-healingagent," said Lynne Sly, vice president of marketing at KCI. "Alongwith V.A.C. (R) Therapy, silver has been a major topic of discussionat many of the recent clinical symposia. We are encouraged by theearly, in-vitro and anecdotal evidence that supports silver'stherapeutic benefits and we'll continue to explore and grow the bodyof clinical data."

Sly continued, "V.A.C(R). GranuFoam(R) Silver(TM) Dressing is theonly silver-based product specifically engineered to be part of theV.A.C. (R) Therapy System and that gives it a clear and powerful pointof differentiation among products and therapies for advanced woundhealing."

Unique attributes of V.A.C. (R) GranuFoam(R) Silver(TM) Dressinginclude:

-- Direct and complete contact - The only silver dressing that allows the GranuFoam(R) dressing pores to come in direct contact with the wound, eliminating the need for additional silver dressing layers that may inhibit negative pressure and granulation.

-- Continuous delivery of silver directly to the wound bed - Micro-bonded metallic silver is uniformly distributed throughout the dressing, providing continuous delivery of silver even after sizing.

-- Ease-of-use - A single application of V.A.C. (R) GranuFoam(R) Silver(TM) Dressing eliminates the need for adjunct silver dressings.

-- Effective protection - The dressing offers a protective barrier to reduce aerobic, gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, yeast and fungi*, and may help reduce infections in wounds.

* Based on KCI's in-vitro testing. Data on file.

KCI's V.A.C. (R) GranuFoam(R) Silver(TM) dressing will be widelyavailable in the fourth quarter of 2005. Visit www.kci1.com or call1-800-275-4524 for more information on V.A.C(R) Therapy, V.A.C. (R)GranuFoam(R) Silver(TM) Dressing and the complete line of GranuFoam(R)dressings.

About V.A.C. (R) Therapy

Our advanced wound care systems incorporate our proprietary VacuumAssisted Closure(R), or V.A.C.(R) technology, which has beenclinically demonstrated to help promote wound healing and to helpreduce the cost of treating patients with difficult-to-treat wounds.

About KCI

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. is a global medical technology company withleadership positions in advanced wound care and therapeutic surfaces.We design, manufacture, market and service a wide range of proprietaryproducts that can improve clinical outcomes while helping to reducethe overall cost of patient care. Our advanced wound care systemsincorporate our proprietary V.A.C.(R) technology, which has beenclinically demonstrated to help promote wound healing and can helpreduce the cost of treating patients with serious wounds. Ourtherapeutic surfaces, including specialty hospital beds, mattressreplacement systems and overlays, are designed to address pulmonarycomplications associated with immobility and to prevent skinbreakdown. We have an infrastructure designed to meet the specificneeds of medical professionals and patients across all health caresettings including acute care hospitals, extended care facilities andpatients' homes both in the United States and abroad.