Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc. Ships 1,000th OPMI(R) Pentero(R) Surgical Microscope to Loyola University Health System

Neurological Surgery Department Receives Revolutionary Visualization System for Neurosurgery and Spine Surgery


DUBLIN, CA--(Marketwire - September 17, 2007) - Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc. announced shipment of its 1,000th OPMI Pentero Surgical Microscope since its worldwide market launch three years ago. This revolutionary microscope platform, which was developed for use during neuro and spinal surgery, offers physicians new capabilities which enhance surgical workflow.

The Neurological Surgery Department at Loyola University Health System and Thomas C. Origitano, M.D., Ph.D., FACS, professor of neurological surgery and the department chairman, are recipients of the 1,000th OPMI Pentero microscope.

The introduction of the OPMI Pentero marked a significant change in how surgical microscopes are defined. Rather than just a singular tool, the approach of a surgical cockpit, that is also an expandable platform, was created. Its innovative architecture, which has the ability to add application modules and upgrades to the classical surgical microscope, enhances its utility and clinical life. The system features visualization and application solutions resulting from direct physician input. These include a breakthrough intra-operative fluorescence module that allows physicians to visualize, check and interpret blood flow quickly, which is critical in cerebral aneurysm procedures.

Emerging hospital demand for digital workflow is met by an integrated digital video chain and seamless connection into the hospital's information and communication infrastructure.

"The concept of integrating a best-in-class surgical microscope with a platform offering application modules, which enhance surgical workflow and enable emerging fluorescence-based techniques, has been extremely well received by our customers," said Dirk Brunner, vice president, sales and marketing for Neuro, ENT and Office Group Products at Carl Zeiss Meditec. "As a result, there is very high demand for the OPMI Pentero."

The OPMI Pentero microscope is sold and distributed worldwide and will be showcased at the upcoming 57th annual meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, in San Diego, Calif., September 15 - 20, 2007 (Booth 1053).

About Carl Zeiss Meditec

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ISIN: DE 0005313704) is one of the world's leading medical technology companies. This market position is based on over 160 years of experience in optical innovation. The company has two primary areas of activity: In the field of ophthalmology Carl Zeiss Meditec offers integrated solutions for treating the four main eye diseases: vision defects (refraction), cataracts, glaucoma and retinal disorders. Product innovations range from basic systems such as slit lamps and fundus cameras to standard setting diagnostic systems such as the Humphrey® Field Analyzer, the Stratus OCT™ and the IOLMaster®, to surgical microscopes and innovative treatment systems in refractive laser surgery.

In the field of neuro and ENT surgery, Carl Zeiss Meditec is the world's leading provider of surgical microscopes and microsurgical visualization solutions for a very broad range of applications, such as tumour and vascular surgery in the head region and/or spinal surgery. The most recent example of our innovative performance in the area of microsurgery is the OPMI Pentero® visualization system, which allows efficient and ergonomic patient treatment.

Carl Zeiss Meditec's medical technology portfolio is rounded off by visualization systems for doctors in private practice and promising future technologies such as intraoperative radiation therapy, which allows the targeted treatment of breast cancer and brain cancer directly during surgery.

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG is based in Jena, Germany, with subsidiaries in Germany (Carl Zeiss Meditec Surgical GmbH and Carl Zeiss Meditec Vertriebsgesellschaf mbH), the USA (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, California), in Japan (Carl Zeiss Meditec Co., Ltd., Tokyo), Spain (Carl Zeiss Meditec Iberia S.A., Madrid) and France (Ioltech SAS, La Rochelle, and Carl Zeiss Meditec France SAS, Le Pecq).

Thirty-five percent of the Carl Zeiss Meditec shares are in free float. The remaining 65 percent are held by Carl Zeiss, one of the world's leading international groups engaged in the optical and opto-electronics industry. For additional information, visit www.meditec.zeiss.com/usa.

Contact Information: Media Contact: Amy Cook 925.552.7893