Wright Medical Group, Inc. Announces Release of BrainLAB Surgical Navi

Wright Medical Group, Inc. Announces Release of BrainLAB Surgical Navigation Software for the ADVANCE Knee System

    Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

    ARLINGTON, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 23, 2005--

Wright's Innovative ADVANCE(R) Knee System Now Part of BrainLAB's VectorVision(R) Open Navigation Platform
    Wright Medical Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WMGI), a global orthopaedic medical device company, and BrainLAB, a worldwide leading innovator in image-guided medical technology, today announced the release of BrainLAB's software for Wright's ADVANCE(R) Knee System on the VectorVision(R) surgical navigation platform.
    BrainLAB's CT-free knee application will allow surgeons to implant the ADVANCE(R) Medial Pivot Cruciate-Sacrificing, Double-High Cruciate-Preserving, and Posterior Stabilized knees. By fully adapting the software to the clinical workflow, this integration will allow surgeons to use navigation effectively for all relevant steps of the procedure. Additionally, surgeons can use BrainLAB's VectorVision(R) with Wright's ADVANCE(R) knees in both traditional and minimally invasive approaches to total knee arthroplasty.
    BrainLAB's VectorVision(R) navigation system helps surgeons optimize total joint replacement surgery through exact positioning of the implant and precise alignment of the leg axis - both key elements for achieving good and long-lasting results in total knee replacements. By precisely guiding mechanical surgical instruments to a pre-planned target position, VectorVision(R) knee software helps avoid deviations of the leg's axis following placement of the prosthesis, which is expected to increase the lifespan of an implant. By providing comprehensive surgical information, VectorVision(R) supports surgeons in making informed decisions, thus enabling safer surgery, reproducible results and improved clinical outcomes.
    "BrainLAB's commitment to state-of-the-art open platform orthopaedic navigation is a perfect fit with Wright's leadership in medial pivot natural knee kinematics," said Steve White, Vice President of Wright's OrthoRecon development group. "With the release of the ADVANCE(R) Knee software, surgeons and hospitals will have more knee implant choices when performing computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery."
    The ADVANCE(R) Medial-Pivot and Double-High Knee are designed to allow patients greater movement and flexibility than has historically been experienced following knee replacement surgery. The patented design mimics the body's natural knee kinematics, closely simulating a ball-and-socket joint. Because of this unique design, many patients report that their ADVANCE(R) Medial-Pivot Knee feels more like their natural knee, and has provided them with greater comfort and stability.

    About BrainLAB

    BrainLAB, a privately held company headquartered in Munich, Germany, was founded in 1989 and is specialized in the development, manufacture, and marketing of medical technology for radiosurgery / radiotherapy, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, and ENT. Among the products developed by BrainLAB are software and hardware components for image-guided surgery and radiotherapy as well as integrated systems for stereotactic radiosurgery. With about 3000 software applications on almost 1400 systems installed in over 60 countries, BrainLAB is among the market leaders in image-guided medical technology. BrainLAB employs more than 600 people worldwide. The company has 15 offices across Europe, Asia, North and South America. For more information, visit BrainLAB at www.brainlab.com.

    About Wright

    Wright Medical Group, Inc. is a global orthopaedic medical device company specializing in the design, manufacture and marketing of reconstructive joint devices and biologics. The Company has been in business for more than 50 years and markets its products in over 60 countries worldwide. For more information about Wright Medical, visit our website at www.wmt.com.

    This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements made in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current knowledge, assumptions, beliefs, estimates, and expectations and express management's current views of future performance, results, and trends. The Company wishes to caution readers that actual results might differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the factors discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003), which could cause the Company's actual results to materially differ from those described in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the forward-looking statements are accurate, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statement will prove to be accurate. A forward-looking statement should not be regarded as a representation by the Company that the results described therein will be achieved. The Company wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement after this date.

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CONTACT: Wright Medical Group, Inc., Arlington John K. Bakewell, 901-867-4527 www.wmt.com

KEYWORD: TENNESSEE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEDICAL PHARMACEUTICAL MEDICAL DEVICES PRODUCT SOURCE: Wright Medical Group, Inc.

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