ATS Medical Announces First in World Human Robotic Endoscopic Aortic Valve Replacement

ATS Medical Announces First in World Human Robotic Endoscopic Aortic Valve
Replacement
Company Expands Minimally Invasive Program

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ATS Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq:
ATSI), manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art cardiac surgery products
and services, announced the first human robot assisted endoscopic aortic valve
replacement using the daVinci® Surgical System from Intuitive Surgical
(Nasdaq: ISRG) to implant the ATS 3f® Aortic Bioprosthesis. The procedure was
performed by Allen Raczkowski, M.D., at Banner Baywood Health Hospital in
Phoenix, Arizona.

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"The ATS 3f Aortic Bioprosthesis is the only valve that has the extreme
flexibility necessary for small access robotic ports and it provides excellent
hemodynamic characteristics which are important for the patient's quality of
life," said Dr. Raczkowski.

With the recent introduction of the ATS 3f Aortic Bioprosthesis into the U.S.
marketplace, surgeons have quickly recognized its unique potential for use in
less invasive port access and robot assisted procedures. Because the ATS 3f
valve is the first truly stentless valve in the world, it has no rigid
supporting stent. As a result, the valve is completely pliable which allows it
to be folded into a small diameter and introduced to the body through small
ports using minimally invasive techniques. No other commercially available
valve can be manipulated in this manner. This successful first ever minimally
invasive human aortic valve replacement is the result of an ongoing
cooperative effort with many of the leading robot experienced cardiac surgery
centers in the U.S. to develop minimally invasive aortic valve procedures.

"ATS Medical has been committed from the beginning to the development of
minimally invasive solutions for the treatment of structural heart disease.
The ability to remove and replace a diseased heart valve in a minimally
invasive manner represents a dramatic benefit for patients for two reasons:
better clinical outcomes by removing the diseased valve as opposed to leaving
it in place, and secondly, a much more cosmetically favorable procedure versus
the pain and scaring associated with conventional open chest surgery. This
landmark robot assisted endoscopic aortic replacement procedure by Dr.
Raczkowski is another important step toward providing surgeons and patients
better options for the treatment of structural heart disease without an open
sternotomy," stated Michael Dale, President and CEO of ATS Medical.

This procedure establishes the expansion of the Company's minimally invasive
initiatives to the 3f product line in addition to the ongoing efforts with the
ATS CryoMaze® Surgical System and the ATS Simulus® family of annuloplasty
products. ATS has also created the position of "Business Development Manager
of Minimally Invasive Procedures" to focus increased resources on the
development of procedures and products to drive adoption, expand markets, and
provide less traumatic surgical options for patients.

About ATS Medical

ATS Medical, Inc. is dedicated to 'Advancing The Standards' of cardiac surgery
through the development, manufacturing and marketing of innovative products
and services for the treatment of structural heart disease. ATS Medical serves
the cardiac surgery community by focusing on two distinct but operationally
synergistic market segments: heart valve disease therapy and surgical ablation
of cardiac arrhythmias.

ATS was originally founded to develop the ATS Open Pivot® Heart Valve as a new
mechanical heart valve standard of care. Today the Open Pivot heart valve is
the preferred mechanical heart valve in many markets around the world and the
fastest growing mechanical prosthesis in the market. Building on this legacy
and addressing the largest market segment in heart valve therapy, the ATS 3f®
brand encompasses an innovative tissue heart valve portfolio to address
conventional open surgery requirements as well as the growing demand for less
invasive sutureless based procedures. The ATS 3f® portfolio includes offerings
at various stages including early product development, pivotal clinical
trials, and market commercialization. Completing the portfolio in heart valve
therapy is the ATS Simulus® annuloplasty product line. Simulus products assist
the surgeon in repairing a patient's native heart valve as an alternative to
replacement. Continuing ATS Medical's focus on serving the cardiac surgery
community are the ATS CryoMaze(TM) products for surgical cryoablation of
cardiac arrhythmias. ATS CryoMaze(TM) products are used by surgeons to treat
patients suffering from cardiac arrhythmias, the largest and fastest growing
form of structural heart disease in populations over 60 years of age. The ATS
Medical web site is http://www.atsmedical.com.

Safe Harbor
This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that may include
statements regarding intent, belief or current expectations of the Company and
its management. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in
the forward looking statements as a result of a number of important factors,
including the results of clinical trials, the timing of regulatory approvals,
the integration of 3f Therapeutics and the surgical cryoablation business of
CryoCath Technologies, Inc., regulatory actions, competition, pricing
pressures, supplier actions and management of growth. For a discussion of
these and other risks and uncertainties that could affect the Company's
activities and results, please refer to the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2008 and its most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q.

SOURCE ATS Medical, Inc.

Michael Dale, President/CEO, +1-763-553-7736, or Michael Kramer, CFO,
+1-763-557-2222, both of ATS Medical, Inc., or Investors, Parice Halbert, CFA
of Westwicke Partners, LLC, +1-443-213-0500, for ATS Medical, Inc.