New Industry Data Demonstrates the Superiority of the BIRMINGHAM HIP(TM) Resurfacing...

New Industry Data Demonstrates the Superiority of the BIRMINGHAM HIP(TM) Resurfacing System

Data collected over the past six years by the Australian Registry
shows the BHR(TM) device to have the highest hip resurfacing system
survivability rate in the world
MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(Business Wire)--Smith & Nephew, Inc.'s (NYSE: SNN) (LSE: SN) Orthopaedic
Reconstruction business today welcomed the release of six-year
clinical data that confirms the clinical superiority of Smith &
Nephew, Inc.'s BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing system (BHR(TM)). The report
was issued by the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint
Replacement Registry, one of the most comprehensive registries of its
kind, on 1 October 2007. Data was tracked from September 1999 to
December 2006 and revealed that the BHR device has the highest hip
resurfacing system survivability rate among all of its established
competitors for which data had been collected, highlighting the
system's continuing exceptional clinical performance.

Highlights from the report:

-- Since the inception of the registry, the BIRMINGHAM HIP
Resurfacing system has been the overwhelming choice of
patients - over 75% of resurfacing procedures have used the
BHR device

-- The BHR system has a revision rate of 0.8 per 100 component
years or 2.5%

-- The BHR system's rate is derived from 19,585 component years,
19 times that of any other resurfacing competitor

-- Three alternative hip resurfacing systems were cited for their
high revision rates

-- According to the registry, hip resurfacing accounts for 7.9%
of all primary hip replacements

"We are extremely pleased with the Registry's results. The report
once again highlights the ability of the BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing
system to help people maintain the most active and healthy lifestyle
possible," said Joseph DeVivo, president of Smith & Nephew Orthopaedic
Reconstruction. "The BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing System lets active
people live the life they love and continue to pursue their passions.
The long-term clinical data available clearly demonstrates the
benefits of the BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing system, which is the gold
standard for resurfacing technology in the world and a significant
addition to our reconstructive product portfolio in the United
States."

The seventh Annual Report of the Australian Orthopaedic
Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOA NJRR) is one of
the most comprehensive studies of joint replacement procedures in the
world.

By carefully studying the timing and reasons for revision surgery
as well as mortality rates, the Registry measures the success rates of
products and procedures across Australia. This year's report is based
on the analysis of 332,700 hip and knee procedures undertaken in
271,188 patients with a procedure date from September 1999 through 31
December 2006.

The study is highly regarded for its comprehensiveness and
accuracy because the Registry is able to obtain an almost complete set
of data relating to hip and knee joint replacement for an entire
country. The Registry receives information from all hospitals (public
and private) undertaking joint replacement. Using a strict validation
process and following retrieval of unreported records and checking of
unmatched data, the initial validation for the 2005/6 Registry data
resulted in over 96% of Registry records verified against health
department data.

About Hip Resurfacing and the BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing System

Hip resurfacing is a bone conserving alternative to traditional
total hip replacement for patients suffering from abnormalities of the
hip, including osteoarthritis.

The BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing system conserves more of a
patient's bone than a traditional hip replacement, enabling younger,
more active patients to undergo hip replacement surgery while
preserving all future surgery options, including a primary hip
replacement. The design of The BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing system also
offers patients a reduced risk of dislocation.

Developed by Surgeons Derek McMinn and Ronan Treacy, BIRMINGHAM
HIP Resurfacing system was first introduced in July 1997 in the UK and
has now been implanted in nearly 80,000 patients in 26 countries.

For more information on the BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing system,
visit www.birminghamhipresurfacing.com.

Editor's note:

-0-
*T
Resurfacing Hip Systems Requiring Revisions
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Observed Revisions per 100
Resurfacing Number Total 'component' observed
Product Revised Number % Revised years 'component' years
------------- ------- ------- --------- ----------- ------------------
ASR 31 753 4.1 1042 3.0
------------- ------- ------- --------- ----------- ------------------
Adept (1) 0 144 0.0 82 0.0
------------- ------- ------- --------- ----------- ------------------
BHR 166 6773 2.5 19585 0.8
------------- ------- ------- --------- ----------- ------------------
Conserve Plus 4 59 6.8 134 3.0
------------- ------- ------- --------- ----------- ------------------
Comet 8 181 4.4 579 1.4
------------- ------- ------- --------- ----------- ------------------
Cormet 2000
(HAP) 8 95 8.4 288 2.8
------------- ------- ------- --------- ----------- ------------------
Durom 25 564 4.4 927 2.7
------------- ------- ------- --------- ----------- ------------------
Mitch TRH (1) 0 94 0.0 25 0.0
------------- ------- ------- --------- ----------- ------------------
Recap 2 50 4.0 81 2.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Recently Released - no revision rate registered
*T

Data has been sourced from the Australian Orthopaedic Association
National Joint Replacement Joint Replacement Registry Annual Report
2007. For a full copy, see: http://www.aoa.org.au.

Comparatively, the Smith & Nephew BHR PMA submission to the FDA
showed a 1.5% revision rate at five years across 620 resurfaced hips.

(TM) Trademark of Smith & Nephew. All trademarks acknowledged

About the Australian Orthopaedic Association

The Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) is the peak
professional body for orthopaedic surgeons in Australia. AOA provides
high quality specialist education, training and continuing
professional development. AOA is committed to ensuring the highest
possible standard of orthopaedic care and is the leading authority in
the provision of orthopaedic information to the community. AOA
actively supports scientific research and orthopaedic humanitarian
initiatives, including overseas orthopaedic programs.

About us

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business,
specializing in Orthopaedic Reconstruction, Orthopaedic Trauma &
Clinical Therapies, Endoscopy and Advanced Wound Management products.
Smith & Nephew is a global leader in arthroscopy and advanced wound
management and is one of the leading global orthopaedics companies.

Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people's lives. The
Company prides itself on the strength of its relationships with its
surgeons and professional healthcare customers, with whom its name is
synonymous with high standards of performance, innovation and trust.
The Company operates in 32 countries around the world. Annual sales in
2006 were nearly $2.8 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. In particular, statements regarding planned growth in our
business and in our trading margins discussed under "Outlook" are
forward-looking statements as are discussions of our product pipeline.
These statements, as well as the phrases "aim", "plan", "intend",
"anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect",
"target", "consider" and similar expressions, are generally intended
to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
important factors (including, but not limited to, the outcome of
litigation and regulatory approvals) that could cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of Smith & Nephew, or industry
results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Please refer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith & Nephew's most
recent annual report on Form 20F, for a discussion of certain of these
factors.

All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on
information available to Smith & Nephew as of the date hereof. All
written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith &
Nephew or any person acting on behalf of Smith & Nephew are expressly
qualified in their entirety by the foregoing. Smith & Nephew does not
undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statement contained herein to reflect any change in Smith & Nephew's
expectation with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or
circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Smith & Nephew, Inc.
Analyst/Investor Inquiries:
Liz Hewitt, +44 (0) 20 7960 2256
liz.hewitt@smith-nephew.com
or
Media Inquiries:
Victor Rocha, 901-399-6771
victor.rocha@smith-nephew.com

Copyright Business Wire 2007