GISH BIOMEDICAL, INC.
                       NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                       -----------------------------------

     This Nonqualified  Stock Option Agreement (the "Agreement") is entered into
as of  May  18,  2000  by  and  between  Gish  Biomedical,  Inc.,  a  California
corporation (the "Company"), and Kelly D. Scott (the "Optionee").

     1. Grant of Option.  The Company  hereby  grants to Optionee an option (the
        ---------------
"Option")  to  purchase  all or any portion of a total of One Hundred and Ninety
Thousand (190,000) shares (the "Shares") of the Common Stock of the Company at a
purchase  price of Three  Dollars  ($3.00)  per share  (the  "Exercise  Price"),
subject  to the terms  and  conditions  set forth  herein.  The  Option  granted
hereunder in intended to constitute a nonqualified stock option.

     2.  Vesting of Option.  The right to  exercise  this  Option  shall vest in
         -----------------
installments, and this Option shall be exercisable from time to time in whole or
in part as to any vested installment, as follows:

                                             This Option shall be
                        On or After:         Exercisable as to:
                        ------------         -----------------

(i)      May 18, 2000:                       60,000 shares
(ii)     May 18, 2001:  an additional        40,000 shares
(iii)    May 18, 2002:  an additional        40,000 shares
(iv)     May 18, 2003:  an additional        50,000 shares

No  additional  shares  shall  vest after  the date of termination of Optionee's
"Continuous  Service"  (as defined in Section 3 below),  but this  Option  shall
continue to be exercisable  in accordance  with Section 3 hereof with respect to
that  number  of  shares  that  have  vested  as of the date of  termination  of
Optionee's Continuous Service.

     3. Term of Option. Optionee's right to exercise this Option shall terminate
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upon the first to occur of the following:

        (a) the expiration of ten (10) years from the date of this Agreement;

        (b) the  expiration of three (3) months from the date of termination  of
Optionee's  Continuous  Service if such termination  occurs for any reason other
than permanent disability,  death or voluntary resignation;  provided,  however,
that if Optionee dies during such  three-month  period the provisions of Section
3(e) below shall apply;

        (c) the expiration of one (1) month  from  the  date of  termination  of
Optionee's  Continuous  Service  if such  termination  occurs  due to  voluntary
resignation;  provided,  however,  that if Optionee  dies during such  one-month
period the  provisions of Section 3(e) below shall apply;

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        (d) the  expiration of one (1) year from  the  date  of  termination  of
Optionee's Continuous Service if such termination is due to permanent disability
of the Optionee (as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code); or

        (e) the expiration  of one (1) year  from  the  date of  termination  of
Optionee's  Continuous Service if such termination is due to Optionee's death or
if death occurs  during either the  three-month  or one-month  period  following
termination of Optionee's  Continuous  Service  pursuant to Section 3(b) or 3(c)
above, as the case may be.

     As used herein,  the term  "Continuous  Service"  means (i)  employment  by
either the Company or any parent or subsidiary corporation of the Company, or by
a corporation  or a parent or subsidiary of a corporation  issuing or assuming a
stock option in a transaction to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies, which
is uninterrupted except for vacation,  illness (except for permanent disability,
as defined  in Section  22(e)(3)  of the Code),  or leaves of absence  which are
approved in writing by the Company or any of such other employer corporation, if
applicable,  (ii)  service as a member of the Board of  Directors of the Company
until Optionee  resigns,  is removed from office,  or Optionee's  term of office
expires and he or she is not reelected,  or (iii) so long as Optionee is engaged
as a consultant or service provided to the Company or other corporation referred
to in clause (i) above.

     Additionally,  for purposes of this  Agreement  "Fair Market  Value" on any
given date means the value of one share of Common Stock, determined as follows:

       (a) If the Common Stock is then listed or admitted to trading on a NASDAQ
market system or a stock  exchange which reports  closing sale prices,  the Fair
Market  Value shall be the closing  sale price on the date of  valuation on such
NASDAQ  market system or principal  stock  exchange on which the Common Stock is
then listed or admitted  to trading,  or, if no closing  sale price is quoted on
such day,  then the Fair Market  Value  shall be the  closing  sale price of the
Common Stock on such NASDAQ market system or such exchange on the next preceding
day for which a closing sale price is reported.

        (b) If the Common Stock is not then  listed or admitted  to trading on a
NASDAQ market system or a stock exchange which reports closing sale prices,  the
Fair Market  Value  shall be the average of the closing bid and asked  prices of
the Common Stock in the over-the-counter market on the date of valuation.


        (c) If neither (a)nor (b)is applicable as of the date of valuation, then
the Fair Market  Value shall be  determined  by the Board of  Directors  in good
faith using any reasonable method of evaluation,  which  determination  shall be
conclusive and binding on all interested parties.

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     4. Exercise  of Option.  On  or after the  vesting  of any  portion of this
        -------------------
Option in accordance with Sections 2 or 9 hereof,  and until  termination of the
right to exercise this Option in accordance with Section 3 above, the portion of
this  Option  which  has  vested  may be  exercised  in  whole or in part by the
Optionee  (or,  after his or her death,  by the person  designated  in Section 5
below) upon delivery of the following to the Company at its principal  executive
offices:

        (a)  a  written notice of  exercise which identifies  this Agreement and
states the number of Shares then being purchased(but no fractional Shares may be
purchased);

        (b) payment of the Exercise Price

        (c) a check or cash in the amount reasonably requested by the Company to
satisfy the Company's  withholding  obligations  under  federal,  state or other
applicable tax laws with respect to the taxable  income,  if any,  recognized by
the Optionee in connection  with the exercise of this Option (unless the Company
and Optionee  shall have made other  arrangements  for deductions or withholding
from Optionee's wages, bonus or other compensation payable to Optionee, provided
such arrangements satisfy the requirements of applicable tax laws); and


        (d) a letter, if requested by the Company, in such form and substance as
the Company may require,  setting forth the  investment  intent of the Optionee,
provided designated in Section 5 below, as the case may be.

     5. Death of Optionee: No Assignment.  The rights of the Optionee under this
        --------------------------------
Agreement  may not be assigned or  transferred  except by will or by the laws of
descent  and  distribution,  and may be  exercised  during the  lifetime  of the
Optionee  only  by  such  Optionee.   Any  attempt  to  sell,  pledge,   assign,
hypothecate,  transfer  or  dispose  of this  Option  in  contravention  of this
Agreement or the Plan shall be void and shall have no effect.  If the Optionee's
Continuous  Service  terminates  as a result of his or her death,  and  provided
Optionee's  rights  hereunder  shall have  vested  pursuant to Section 2 hereof,
Optionee's legal representative,  his or her legatee, or the person who acquired
the right to  exercise  this  Option  by  reason  of the  death of the  Optionee
(individually,  a  "Successor")  shall  succeed  to the  Optionee's  rights  and
obligations  under  this  Agreement.  After  the death of the  Optionee,  only a
Successor may exercise this Option.

     6. Representations and Warranties of Optionee.
        -------------------------------------------

        (a) Optionee  represents and warrants that this Option is being acquired
by Optionee for Optionee's personal account,for investment purposed only,and not
with a view to the distribution, resale or other disposition thereof.

        (b)  Optionee acknowledges that the Company  may issue  Shares  upon the
exercise of the Option without  registering such Shares under the Securities Act


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of 1933, as amended (the "Securities  Act"), on the basis of certain  exemptions
from such registration requirement. Accordingly, Optionee agrees that his or her
exercise of the Option may be expressly  conditioned upon his or her delivery to
the Company of an investment  certificate  including  such  representations  and
undertakings  as the  Company  may  reasonably  require  in order to assure  the
availability of such  exemptions,  including a  representation  that Optionee is
acquiring the Shares for investment and not with a present  intention of selling
or  otherwise   disposing   thereof  and  an  agreement  by  Optionee  that  the
certificates   evidencing  the  Shares  may  bear  a  legend   indicating   such
non-registration  under the  Securities  Act and the resulting  restrictions  on
transfer.  Optionee  acknowledges that, because Shares received upon exercise of
an Option  may be  unregistered,  Optionee  may be  required  to hold the Shares
indefinitely  unless  they are  subsequently  registered  for  resale  under the
Securities Act or an exemption from such registration is available.

     7.  Restrictive   Legends.   Optionee  hereby   acknowledges  that  federal
         ---------------------
securities laws and the securities  laws of the state in which Optionee  resides
may require the placement of certain  restrictive legends upon the Shares issued
upon exercise of this Option, and Optionee hereby consents to the placing of any
such  legends upon  certificates  evidencing  the Shares as the Company,  or its
counsel, may deem necessary or advisable.

     8.  Adjustments  Upon Changes in Capital  Structure.  In the event that the
         -----------------------------------------------
outstanding  shares of Common  Stock of the Company are  hereafter  increased or
decreased or changed into or exchanged for a different  number or kind of shares
or other securities of the Company by reason of a recapitalization, stock split,
combination of shares,  reclassification,  stock dividend or other change in the
capital structure of the Company,  then appropriate  adjustment shall be made by
the  Board of  Directors  to the  number of Shares  subject  to the  unexercised
portion  of this  Option  and to the  Exercise  Price  per  share,  in  order to
preserve,  as nearly as  practical,  but not to  increase,  the  benefits of the
Optionee under this Option.

     9. No Employment Contract Created.  Neither the granting of this Option nor
        ------------------------------
the exercise  hereof shall be construed a granted to the Optionee any right with
respect to continuance of employment by the Company or any of its  subsidiaries.
The right of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  to  terminate  at will the
Optionee's   employment  at  any  time  (whether  by  dismissal,   discharge  or
otherwise), with or without cause, is specifically reserved.

     10. Rights as  Shareholder.  The Optionee (or  transferee of this option by
         ----------------------
will or by the laws of  descent  and  distribution)  shall  have no  rights as a
shareholder  with respect to any Shares covered by this Option until the date of
the  issuance  of a stock  certificate  or  certificates  to him or her for such
Shares, notwithstanding the exercise of this Option.

     11. "Market Stand-Off" Agreement. Optionee agrees that, if requested by the
         -----------------------------
Company or the  managing  underwriter  of any  proposed  public  offering of the
Company's securities, Optionee will not sell or otherwise transfer or dispose of

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any Shares held by Optionee  without the prior written consent of the Company or
such underwriter,  as the case may be, during such period of time, not to exceed
180 days following the effective date of the registration statement filed by the
Company with respect to such  offering,  as the Company or the  underwriter  may
specify.

     12.  Interpretation.  The Board of Directors  shall  interpret and construe
          --------------
this Option, and any action,  decision,  interpretation or determination made in
good faith by the Board of  Directors  shall be final and binding on the Company
and the Optionee.

     13.  Notices.  Any notice,  demand or request  required or  permitted to be
          -------
given under this  Agreement  shall be in writing and shall be deemed  given when
delivered  personally  or three (3) days  after  being  deposited  in the United
States  mail,  as certified  or  registered  mail,  with  postage  prepaid,  and
addressed, if to the Company, at its principal place of business, Attention: the
Chief  Financial  Officer,  and if to the  Optionee,  at his or her most  recent
address as shown in the employment or stock records of the Company.

     14. Annual and Other Periodic  Reports.  During the term of this Agreement,
         -----------------------------------
the Company will furnish to the Optionee copies of all annual and other periodic
financial and informational  reports that the Company  distributes  generally to
its shareholders.

     15. Governing Law. The validity, construction,  interpretation,  and effect
         -------------
of this Option shall be governed by and  determined in accordance  with the laws
of the State of California.

     16. Severability. Should any provision or portion of this Agreement be held
         ------------
to be  unenforceable  or invalid for any reason,  the  remaining  provision  and
portions of this Agreement shall be unaffected by such holding.

     17. Counterparts.   This  Agreement  may   be   executed  in  two  or  more
         -------------
counterparts,  each of  which  shall  be  deemed  an  original  and all of which
together shall be deemed one instrument.

     18. Securities Law Compliance.  The sale of the Shares that are the subject
         --------------------------
of this  Agreement  has not been  qualified  with the Board of  Directors of the
securities  laws of any state and the  issuance of such Shares or the payment or
receipt of any part of the consideration  therefore prior to such  qualification
may  be  unlawful,   unless  the  sale  of  such  Shares  is  exempt  from  such
qualification.  The  rights  of all  parties  to this  Agreement  are  expressly
conditioned  upon  such  qualification  being  obtained,  unless  the sale is so
exempt.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date
first above written.

GISH BIOMEDICAL, INC.                          "OPTIONEE"

By:      /s/ Leslie M. Taeger                  /s/ Kelly D. Scott
         ---------------------------           -----------------------------
                                                        (Signature)
Name:    Leslie M. Taeger
         ---------------------------

Title:   Chief Financial Officer                     Kelly D. Scott
         ---------------------------           -----------------------------
                                                  (Type or print name)



















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