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OMB Number: 3235-0145
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(AMENDMENT NO. )*
ARTHROCARE CORPORATION
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(NAME OF ISSUER)
Common Stock
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(TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES)
043136100
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(CUSIP NUMBER)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing of this form with respect to the subject class of securities,
and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of
the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see
the Notes).
SEC 1745 (2-95)
Page 1 of 5 Pages
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CUSIP NO. 13G PAGE 2 OF 5 PAGES
--------------------- ----- -----
(1) NAMES OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Hira V. Thapliyal, Ph.D., ###-##-####
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(2) CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
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(3) SEC USE ONLY
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(4) CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
United States
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(5) SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF 402,750
SHARES --------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY (6) SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED BY 0
EACH --------------------------------------------------------
REPORTING (7) SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH 402,750
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(8) SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
0
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(9) AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
602,750*
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(10) CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES* [ ]
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(11) PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
6.79%
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(12) TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IN
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*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT
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CUSIP No. 928551 100 Page 3 of 5 Pages
ITEM 1.
(a) Name of Issuer: ArthroCare Corporation.
(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
595 North Pastoria Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
ITEM 2.
(a) Name of Person Filing: Hira V. Thapliyal, Ph.D
(b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence
595 North Pastoria Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(c) Citizenship United States
(d) Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock
(e) CUSIP Number: 043136 100
ITEM 3. IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(b), OR 13d-2(b),
CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON IS A:
(a)[ ] Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act
(b)[ ] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act
(c)[ ] Insurance Company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act
(d)[ ] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the Investment
Company Act.
(e)[ ] Investment Adviser registered under section 203 of the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940
(f)[ ] Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject to the
provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
or Endowment Fund, see Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F)
(g)[ ] Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Section
240.13d-1(b)(ii)(G) (Note: See Item 7)
(h)[ ] Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H)
ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP
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CUSIP No. 928551 10 0 Page 4 of 5 Pages
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned: 602,750*
(b) Percent of Class: 6.79% (based on total outstanding shares at 12/31/97
of 8,868,746)
(c) Number of shares as to which such person has: 402,750
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: 402,750
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 0
(iii) sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of:
402,750
(iv) shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of: 0
*consists of (i) 200,000 shares held in trust for Dr. Thapliyal's minor
children, over which Dr. Thapliyal does not have voting or dispositive power.
ITEM 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more that
five percent of the class of securities, check the following [ ]
ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON.
Inapplicable
ITEM 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH
ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING
COMPANY. Inapplicable
ITEM 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.
Inapplicable
ITEM 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP.
Inapplicable
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CUSIP No. 928551 10 0 Page 5 of 5 Pages
ITEM 10. By signing below I certify that, to the best of my
knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not
have the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such
securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any
transaction having such purposes of effect.
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
February 9, 1998
___________________________________________
Date
/s/ ROBERT D. BROWNWELL
___________________________________________
Signature
by: Robert D. Brownell Attorney-in-fact for
Hira V. Thapliyal, Ph.D.
___________________________________________
Name/Title
