EXHIBIT 99







December 16, 1997

David W. Stassen, President and CEO
Keith M. Eastman, Chief Financial Officer
Spine-Tech, Inc. (612) 832-5600

John Mackay
Padilla Speer Beardsley Inc. (612) 871-8877


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


                   SPINE-TECH, INC., ANNOUNCES DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT
                             TO MERGE WITH SULZER MEDICA
                       CASH TENDER OFFER VALUED AT $595 MILLION


    MINNEAPOLIS, December 16 -- Spine-Tech, Inc., (Nasdaq:  SPYN), a medical
manufacturer based in Minneapolis, today announced the signing of a definitive
agreement to merge with Sulzer Medica (Zurich:  SMEN; NYSE:SM), a leading
cardiovascular and orthopedic implant company headquartered in Winterthur,
Switzerland.  The transaction involves a cash tender offer by Sulzer Medica for
all of the outstanding Spine-Tech common shares at $52 per share for a total net
value of approximately $595 million.  The tender offer, which has been approved
by the board of directors of each company, will be conditioned on the tender of
a majority of the outstanding Spine-Tech shares, the expiration of anti-trust
waiting periods and other customary conditions.



Page 2

    Spine-Tech is a market and technology leader in the field of less invasive
spinal implants.  The company's leading product is the BAK-TM- Interbody Fusion
System, an innovative system of spinal implants and instruments which are used
to promote spinal fusion in patients suffering from chronic, disabling back pain
resulting from degenerative disc disease.  The BAK received marketing clearance
from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September 1996 and is currently
leading the market in the rapidly growing, minimally invasive spinal fusion
implant market.

    Spine-Tech will operate as a business unit of Sulzer Orthopedics.  David
Stassen, president and chief executive officer of Spine-Tech, will become the
global head of Sulzer Medica's spinal business.  Mr. Stassen and key Spine-Tech
management have expressed their commitment to stay with the company in order to
drive its continued growth and prosperity.

    Piper Jaffray Incorporated acted as financial adviser to Spine-Tech in this
transaction.

    Sulzer Medica, with annual sales of approximately $1 billion, currently
employs approximately 4,800 people worldwide.  Suzler Medica is focused on the
development of implantable medical devices and biomaterials for the
cardiovascular and orthopedic markets worldwide.  The company's products include
heart valves, pacemakers, defibrillators, ablation catheters, vascular grafts,
artificial knees, hips, shoulders, spine and dental implants.

    Spine-Tech is a market leader in the field of less invasive spinal
implants.  The company's products are used to surgically treat patients
suffering from chronic, disabling pain caused by degenerative conditions of the
spine.

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