Anthony M. DiGioia III, MD Recognized as Health Care Hero

Business Wire, April 9, 2001

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

PITTSBURGH--(BW HealthWire)--April 9, 2001

CASurgica, a leading provider of navigation and robotic assisted orthopaedic surgical tools and techniques, today announced that Dr. Anthony M. DiGioia III was honored as a finalist in the 2001 Health Care Heroes program as a result of his innovative work at the Centers for Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery (MRCAS) at Carnegie Mellon University and Shadyside Hospital.

The event was sponsored by the Pittsburgh Business Times and Alpern Rosenthal & Company.

The Health Care Heroes Award recognizes individuals and/or organizations in the Southwestern Pennsylvania health care industry who epitomize the spirit embodied in the word "hero." The goals of the program are to recognize excellence, promote innovation, encourage emulation of successful programs, educate the general public, contribute to the enhancement of the value and quality of health care, and ultimately, give recognition to those deserving.

Dr. Jared L. Cohon, president of Carnegie Mellon University, nominated Dr. DiGioia citing his contributions to health care innovations. "Dr. DiGioia and his teams at CASurgica and the MRCAS program continue to launch breakthroughs in orthopaedic surgical technologies ranging from research to new procedures and medical devices. His ongoing commitment to bringing new technologies and expertise to the field of orthopaedic surgery brings tremendous value to the medical community here and around the world," said Dr. Cohon.

More than 65 candidates were nominated for this year's program. Dr. DiGioia was one of the final five in the category of Health Care Innovations. Other categories included Community Outreach, Health Care Provider -- Physician, Health Care Provider -- Non-Physician, and Lifetime Achievement. "It's an honor to be part of this elite group of health care professionals and researchers. Southwestern Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to combine the best of leading medical facilities, dedicated health care professionals, and research excellence in robotics and computer science. This environment leads to ongoing discoveries that make our region an exciting place to practice medicine and all to the benefit of our patients," noted DiGioia.

About Anthony M. DiGioia, III, M.D.

Dr. DiGioia is Co-Director of the Centers for Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery at Carnegie Mellon University and Shadyside Hospital (Pittsburgh, PA). He is a practicing orthopaedic surgeon. Dr. DiGioia obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering, as well as a masters degree in civil and biomedical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and trained in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. DiGioia maintains a private practice in Orthopaedic Surgery with clinical interests in adult reconstruction surgery including total joint replacement, the surgical treatment of arthritis, and computer assisted interventions. (See www.orthodoctor.com)

About CASurgica, Inc.

Dr. Anthony M. DiGioia III and Branislav Jaramaz Ph.D. founded CASurgica, Inc. in 1997 in Pittsburgh, PA. Robert Honneffer was recently named General Manager. The company's goal is to commercialize advanced surgical tools that will assist surgeons and improve clinical results providing cost savings over current techniques. CASurgica plans to market the next-generation advanced computer-assisted surgical tools to provide a substantial improvement over current tools as a result of implementing computer imaging, simulation, and robotics. Its research partners include the Centers for Medical Robotics and Computer-Assisted Surgery at Carnegie Mellon and the UPMC Shadyside Hospital.