CONMED CORP
10-K, 2000-03-28
ELECTROMEDICAL & ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS
Previous: SEARS DC CORP, 10-K405, 2000-03-28
Next: AMERICAN CAPITAL STRATEGIES LTD, SC 13G/A, 2000-03-28



                       Securities and Exchange Commission

                                Washington, D.C.

                                      20549

                                    Form 10-K

                Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                  For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999

                         Commission file number 0-16093

                               CONMED CORPORATION

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                  New York                              16-0977505
       (State or other jurisdiction of               (I.R.S. Employer
       incorporation or organization)              Identification No.)

      310 Broad Street, Utica, New York                   13501
  (Address of principal executive offices)              (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (315) 797-8375

           Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
                          Common Stock, $.01 par value
                                (Title of class)

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934  during  the  preceding  12 months  (or for such  shorter  period  that the
registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes [ x ]   No  [  ]

         Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent  filers  pursuant to
Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained  herein,  and will not be contained,
to the best of  registrant's  knowledge,  in  definitive  proxy  or  information
statements  incorporated  by  reference  in Part  III of this  Form  10-K or any
amendment to this form 10-K. [ X]

         The  aggregate  market  value of the shares of the voting stock held by
non-affiliates of the Registrant was approximately  $405,669,235  based upon the
closing  price of the Company's  common stock,  which was $26.50 on February 25,
2000.

         The number of shares of the  Registrant's  $0.01 par value common stock
outstanding as of February 25, 2000 was 15,308,273.
<PAGE>
          DOCUMENTS FROM WHICH INFORMATION IS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

         Portions of the Definitive Proxy  Statement,  scheduled to be mailed on
or about April 10, 2000 for the annual  meeting of  stockholders  to be held May
16, 2000, are incorporated by reference into Part III.
<PAGE>
                               CONMED CORPORATION

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                    FORM 10-K

                                     Part I

Item Number                                                             Page

Item 1.        Business                                                    2
Item 2.        Properties                                                 16
Item 3.        Legal Proceedings                                          16
Item 4.        Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders        17


                              Part II
Item 5.        Market for the Registrant's Common Stock and Related
               Stockholder Matters                                        18
Item 6.        Selected Financial Data                                    19
Item 7.        Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
               Condition and Results of Operations                        21
Item 7A.       Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About
                   Market Risk                                            25

Item 8.        Financial Statements and Supplementary Data                25



Item 9.        Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on
               Accounting and Financial Disclosure                        25


                                    Part III

Item 10.       Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant         26
Item 11.       Executive Compensation                                     26
Item 12.       Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
               Management                                                 26
Item 13.       Certain Relationships and Related Transactions             26


                                     Part IV

Item 14.       Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on
               Form 8-K                                                   27


Signatures                                                                28

Exhibit Index                                                             29

                                       1
<PAGE>
                                     PART I

                               CONMED CORPORATION

Item 1.  Business

Forward Looking Statements

         This Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended  December 31,
1999 ("Form 10-K") contains certain forward-looking  statements (as such term is
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) and information
relating  to  CONMED  Corporation  ("CONMED"  or  the  "Company"--references  to
"CONMED" or the "Company" shall be deemed to include the Company's subsidiaries)
that is  based on the  beliefs  of the  management  of the  Company,  as well as
assumptions made by and information currently available to the management of the
Company.  When  used  in  this  Form  10-K,  the  words  "estimate,"  "project,"
"believe," "anticipate," "intend," "expect" and similar expressions are intended
to  identify  forward-looking  statements.  Such  statements  involve  known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those identified under
the caption  "Item 1:  Business -- Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this Form 10-K
that may cause the actual  results,  performance or achievements of the Company,
or  industry  results,  to be  materially  different  from any  future  results,
performance  or  achievements  expressed  or  implied  by  such  forward-looking
statements. Such factors include, among others, the following:  general economic
and business conditions; changes in customer preferences;  competition;  changes
in  technology;  the  introduction  of  new  products;  the  integration  of any
acquisition;  changes in business  strategy;  the  indebtedness  of the Company;
quality  of  management,  business  abilities  and  judgment  of  the  Company's
personnel;  the availability,  terms and deployment of capital;  the possibility
that the United  States or foreign  regulatory  and/or  administrative  agencies
might initiate  enforcement  actions  against the Company,  its  subsidiaries or
distributors;  the risk of litigation,  especially patent litigation; changes in
regulatory requirements that could have an impact on the Company's business; and
various other factors  referenced in this Form 10-K.  See "Item 7:  Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial  Condition and Results of  Operations"  and
"Item 1:  Business."  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements,  which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company
does not  undertake any  obligation  to publicly  release any revisions to these
forward-looking  statements to reflect  events or  circumstances  after the date
hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

General

         CONMED  Corporation is a medical  technology  company  specializing  in
instruments and implants for arthroscopic sports medicine,  and powered surgical
instruments, such as drills and saws, for orthopaedic, ENT and neurosurgery. The
Company is also a leading  developer,  manufacturer  and  supplier  of  advanced
medical devices,  including  electrosurgical  systems,  ECG electrodes for heart
monitoring,  and minimally invasive surgical devices. The Company's products are
used in a  variety  of  clinical  settings,  such as  operating  rooms,  surgery
centers, physicians' offices and critical care areas of hospitals.

         The Company has used  strategic  business  acquisitions  to broaden its
product offerings,  to increase its market share in certain product lines and to
realize  economies  of  scale.  During  the last five  years,  the  Company  has
completed seven acquisitions. The completed acquisitions, together with internal
growth,  have  resulted  in a compound  annual  growth  rate in net sales of 39%
between 1995 and 1999.
                                       2
<PAGE>
Industry

         The number of surgical  procedures  performed  in the United  States is
increasing.  According to SMG Marketing Group, the total number of U.S. surgical
procedures increased at a compound annual growth rate of 5% from 25.1 million in
1989 to 40.7  million  in 1999.  This  growth in  surgical  procedures  reflects
demographic  trends,  such as the  aging of the  population,  and  technological
advancements  which  result  in safer  and less  invasive  surgical  procedures.
Additionally,  as people are living longer, more active lives, they are engaging
in contact sports and activities such as running,  skiing,  rollerblading,  golf
and tennis which result in injuries with greater frequency and at an earlier age
than ever before.  According to MDI, it is expected that the $1.0 billion sports
medicine  industry  will  grow 20% in the next few years in  categories  such as
implantable  devices.  Sales of surgical  products  represented  over 80% of the
Company's total 1999 sales. See "Item 1: Business-Product Sales".

         In response to rising  health care costs,  managed care  companies  and
other payers have placed  pressures on health care providers to reduce costs. As
a result,  health  care  providers  have  focused on the high cost areas such as
surgery.  To  reduce  costs,   health  care  providers  use   minimally-invasive
techniques,  which generally reduce patient trauma, recovery time and ultimately
the length of  hospitalization.  Many of the Company's products are designed for
use in minimally invasive surgical  procedures.  See "Item 1:  Business-Products
Sales."  Health care  providers  are also  increasingly  purchasing  single-use,
disposable products, which reduce the costs associated with sterilizing surgical
instruments and products following surgery.  The single-use nature of disposable
products  lowers  the  risk  of  incorrectly  sterilized  instruments  spreading
infection  into the  patient and  increasing  the cost of  post-operative  care.
Approximately 75% of the Company's sales are derived from single-use  disposable
products.

         In the United States,  the pressure on health care providers to contain
costs has altered their purchasing patterns for general surgical instruments and
disposable  medical  products.  Many health care  providers  have  entered  into
comprehensive  purchasing contracts with fewer suppliers,  which offer a broader
array of products at lower prices. In addition,  many health care providers have
aligned themselves with group purchasing  organizations ("GPOs"). GPOs aggregate
the purchasing volume of their members in order to negotiate competitive pricing
with  suppliers,  including  manufacturers  of  surgical  products.  The Company
believes  that these  trends  will  favor  entities  that offer a broad  product
portfolio. See "Item 1: Business-Business Strategy".

         The Company  believes that foreign  markets offer growth  opportunities
for its  products.  As  economic  conditions  improve in  developing  countries,
expenditures  on  health  care are  expected  to rise;  according  to  Dorland's
Biomedical,  expenditures  on  surgical  products  in  developing  countries  is
expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17% to $65 billion in 2005.
The  Company   currently   distributes  its  products   through  its  own  sales
subsidiaries   or  through  local   dealers  in  over  100  foreign   countries.
International sales represent approximately 25% of total sales in 1999.

Product sales

         The  Company is a leading  developer,  manufacturer  and  supplier of a
broad  range of medical  instruments  and  systems  used in  surgical  and other
medical   procedures.   The  Company's   surgical  lines  include  products  for
arthroscopy,  powered surgical  instruments,  electrosurgery  and minimal access
surgery markets.  Surgical  products  represented over 80% of the Company's 1999
sales.  The balance of the Company's 1999 sales were in a variety of non-surgery
markets and are included under "Patient Care" in the following discussion.

                                       3
<PAGE>
         Arthroscopy

         The  Company  offers a broad line of devices  and  products  for use in
arthroscopic surgery. Net sales attributable to arthroscopy products represented
36% and 39% of the Company's 1998 and 1999 net sales, respectively.

         Arthroscopy  refers to diagnostic and therapeutic  surgical  procedures
performed on joints with the use of  minimally-invasive  endoscopes  and related
instruments.  Minimally-invasive  arthroscopy procedures enable surgical repairs
to be completed with less trauma to the patient,  resulting in shorter  recovery
times and cost savings. Approximately 75% of all arthroscopy is performed on the
knee,  although  arthroscopic  procedures are increasingly  performed on smaller
joints and shoulders.

         The  Company's   arthroscopy   products   include   powered   resection
instruments,  arthroscopes,  reconstructive  systems,  tissue repair sets, fluid
management systems, imaging products,  implants and related disposable products.
It is the  Company's  standard  practice  to  transfer  some  of  these  capital
products,  such as shaver consoles and pumps, to certain customers at no charge.
These capital  "placements"  allow for and  accommodate  the use of a variety of
disposable  products,  such as shaver blades, burs and pump tubing. The Company
has benefited from the  introduction of new products and new technologies in the
arthroscopic  area,  such as  bioabsorbable  screws,  "push-in"  suture anchors,
resection shavers and cartilage repair implants.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Arthroscopy
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product                                                    Description                         Brand Name
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                   <C>                                                      <C>
Resection Shavers                    Shaver consoles and handpieces, disposable blades to      Apex(R)
                                     resect and remove soft tissue and bone; used in knee,     XtraSharp(R)
                                     shoulder and small joint surgery, as well as              Merlin(R)Polyblade(TM)
                                     endoscopic sinus surgery.                                 Sterling(R)

Knee Reconstructive                  Products used in cruciate  reconstructive surgery;        Paramax(R)
Systems                              includes instrumentation, screws, pins and drill bits.    Pinn-ACL(R)
                                                                                               GraFix(TM)
Soft Tissue Repair Systems           Instrument systems designed to attach specific torn or    Spectrum(R)
                                     damaged soft tissue to bone or other soft tissue in the   Inteq(R)
                                     knee, shoulder and wrist; includes instrumentation,
                                     guides, hooks and suture devices.

Fluid Management Systems             Disposable tubing sets, disposable and reusable inflow    Apex(R)
                                     devices, pumps and suction/waste management systems for   Quick-Flow(R)
                                     use in  arthroscopic and general surgeries.               Quick-Connect(R)

Imaging                              Surgical video systems for endoscopic procedures;         Apex(R)
                                     includes autoclavable single-chip digital and three-chip  8180 Series
                                     camera consoles, heads, endoscopes, light
                                     sources, monitors, VCRs and printers.
</TABLE>
                                       4
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Arthroscopy
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product                                                    Description                         Brand Name
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                   <C>                                                      <C>
Implants                             Products including bioabsorbable and metal interference   BioScrew(R)
                                     screws and suture anchors for attaching soft tissue to    BioStinger(R)
                                     bone in the knee, shoulder and wrist.                     Ultrafix(R)
                                                                                               Revo(R)

Other Instruments and Accessories    Forceps, graspers,  punches, probes, sterilization        Shutt(R)
                                     cases and other general instruments for  arthroscopic     Concept(R)
                                     procedures.                                               TractionTower(R)

</TABLE>
         Powered Surgical Instruments

         The  Company  offers  a  broad  line  of  powered   instruments   which
represented 21% and 23% of the Company's 1998 and 1999 net sales, respectively.

         Powered instruments are used to perform  orthopaedic,  arthroscopic and
other surgical procedures,  such as cutting,  drilling or reaming and are driven
by electric, battery or pneumatic power. Each instrument consists of one or more
handpieces and related accessories as well as disposable and limited reuse items
(e.g., burs, saw blades, drills and reamers). Powered instruments are generally
categorized as either small bone, large bone or specialty  powered  instruments.
Speciality  powered  instruments   include  surgical   applications  other  than
orthopaedics, such as neurosurgical, otolaryngological (ENT), and cardiothoracic
applications.

         The Company's line of powered  instruments are sold  principally  under
the Hall(R)  Surgical brand name,  for use in large and small bone  orthopaedic,
arthroscopic,  oral/maxillofacial,   otolaryngologic,  neurological,  spine  and
cardiothoracic surgeries.  Large bone,  neurosurgical,  spine and cardiothoracic
powered   instruments   are  sold  primarily  to  hospitals   while  small  bone
arthroscopic,  otolarygological and  oral/maxillofacial  powered instruments are
sold to hospitals,  outpatient  facilities and physician offices.  The Company's
Linvatec  subsidiary  has devoted  substantial  resources  to  developing  a new
technology base for small bone,  arthroscopic and otolaryngological  instruments
that can be easily adapted and modified for new procedures.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Powered Surgical Instruments
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product                                                    Description                         Brand Name
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                   <C>                                                      <C>
Small Bone                           Powered saws, drills and related disposable accessories   Hall(R)Surgical
                                     for small bone and joint surgical procedures.             E9000(R)
                                                                                               MiniDriver(TM)
                                                                                               MicroChoice(R)
                                                                                               Micro 100(TM)

Large Bone                           Powered saws, drills and related disposable accessories   Hall(R)Surgical
                                     for use primarily in total knee and hip joint             MaxiDriver(TM)
                                     replacements and trauma surgical procedures.              VersiPower(R)Plus
                                                                                               Series 4(R)
</TABLE>
                                       5
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Powered Surgical Instruments
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product                                                    Description                         Brand Name
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                   <C>                                                      <C>
Otolaryngology                       Specialty powered saws, drills and related disposable     UltraPower(R)
Neurosurgery                         accessories for use in neurosurgery, spine, and           Hall Osteon(R)
Spine                                otolaryngologic procedures.                               Hall Ototome(R)
                                                                                                      E9000(R)

Cardiothoracic                       Powered sternum saws, drills, and related disposable      Hall(R)Surgical
Oral/maxillofacial                   accessories for use by cardiothoracic and                 E9000(R)
                                     oral/maxillofacial surgeons.                              UltraPower(R)
                                                                                               Micro 100
                                                                                               Versipower(R)Plus
</TABLE>
         Electrosurgery and Minimal Access Surgery

         During 1997, 1998 and 1999, net sales  attributable  to  electrosurgery
and minimal access surgery products  represented 47%, 20%, and 18% respectively,
of the Company's net sales.

         Electrosurgery

         Electrosurgery  is the  technique  of using a  high-frequency  electric
current which, when applied to tissue through special  instruments,  can be used
to  cut   tissue,   coagulate,   or  cut  and   coagulate   simultaneously.   An
electrosurgical system consists of a generator,  an active electrode in the form
of a pencil or other instrument which the surgeon uses to apply the current from
the generator to the target tissue and a ground pad to safely return the current
to the  generator.  Electrosurgery  is routinely  used in most forms of surgery,
including general, dermatologic, thoracic, orthopaedic, urologic, neurosurgical,
gynecological, laparoscopic, arthroscopic and other endoscopic procedures.

         The Company's electrosurgical products include electrosurgical pencils,
ground pads, generators, the argon-beam coagulation system (ABC(R)), and related
disposable  products.  ABC(R) technology is a special method of  electrosurgery,
which allows a faster and more complete  coagulation of many tissues as compared
to  conventional  electrosurgery.   Unlike  conventional   electrosurgery,   the
electrical  current travels in a beam of ionized argon gas, allowing the current
to be dispersed onto the bleeding  tissue  without the  instrument  touching the
tissue.  Clinicians have reported  notable  benefits of ABC(R) over  traditional
electrosurgical   coagulation   in  certain   clinical   situations,   including
open-heart, liver, spleen and trauma surgery.

         Minimal Access Surgery

         Minimal  Access  Surgery  (MAS) is  surgery  performed  without a major
incision,  which  results in less trauma for the patient and produces  important
cost savings as a result of reduced  hospitalization  and therapy.  Laparoscopic
surgery is an MAS procedure  performed on organs in the abdominal cavity such as
the gallbladder,  appendix and female reproductive organs. During a laparoscopic
procedure,  devices called "trocars" are used to puncture the abdominal wall and
then are removed, leaving in place a trocar cannula. The trocar cannula provides
access into the abdomen for camera systems and surgical instruments.

                                       6
<PAGE>
         The   Company's   MAS   products   include   the   UNIVERSAL    S/I(TM)
(suction/irrigation)    and   UNIVERSAL   PLUS(R)   laparoscopic    instruments,
specialized,  suction/irrigation  electrosurgical  instrument systems for use in
laparoscopic   surgery  and  the  TroGARD   Finesse(R)   which   incorporates  a
blunt-tipped  version of a trocar. The TroGARD Finesse(R) dilates access through
the body wall rather than cutting with the sharp,  pointed tips of  conventional
trocars.  This results in smaller  wounds,  and less bleeding.  The Company also
markets electrosurgical pencils,  suction/irrigation  accessories,  laparoscopic
scissors, active electrodes,  insufflation needles and ABC(R) handpieces for use
in laparoscopic surgery.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   Electrosurgery and Minimal Access Surgery
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product                                                    Description                         Brand Name
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                   <C>                                                      <C>
Pencils                              Disposable and reusable instruments designed to deliver   Hand-trol(R)
                                     high-frequency electric current to cut and/or coagulate   Gold Line(R)
                                     tissue.                                                   Clear Vac(R)

Ground Pads                          Disposable  ground pads to safely return the current to   Macrolyte(R)
                                     the generator; available in adult, pediatric and infant   Bio-gard(R)
                                     sizes.

Generators                           Monopolar and bipolar generators for surgical             EXCALIBUR(R)Plus PC
                                     procedures performed in a physician's office or clinic    SABRE(R)
                                     setting.                                                  Hyfrecator(R)2000

Argon Beam Coagulation Systems       Specialized electrosurgical generators, disposable hand   ABC(R)
                                     pieces and ground pads for non-contact cutting and        Beamer Plus(R)
                                     coagulation of tissue.                                    System 7500(R)
                                                                                               ABC Flex(R)

Laparoscopic Instruments             Specialized trocars, suction/irrigation                   UNIVERSAL Plus(R)
                                     electrosurgical instrument systems for use in             TroGard(R)
                                     laparoscopic surgery; includes disposable handles,        Finesse(TM)
                                     valve/control assemblies with disposable accessories
                                     and  monopolar and bipolar scissors,  graspers and
                                     loops.
</TABLE>
         Patient Care Products

         During  1997,  1998 and 1999 net sales  attributable  to  patient  care
products represented 53%, 23% and 20% respectively, of the Company's net sales.

         The Company  manufactures a variety of patient care products for use in
monitoring cardiac rhythms, wound care management and IV therapy. These products
include ECG electrodes and cables,  wound  dressings and catheter  stabilization
dressings. These products are sold to hospitals,  outpatient surgery centers and
physician offices primarily in the United States.  The majority of the Company's
sales in this  category  are derived from the sale of ECG  electrodes.  Although
wound management and intravenous

                                       7
<PAGE>
therapy product sales are comparatively small, the application of these products
in the operating room complements the Company's surgery business.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Patient Care Products
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product                                                    Description                                Brand Name
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                                  <C>                                                             <C>
ECG Monitoring                       Line of disposable electrodes, monitoring cables, lead          CONMED(R)
                                     wire products and accessories designed to transmit ECG          Ultratrace(R)
                                     signals from the heart to an ECG monitor or recorder.           Cleartrace(R)

Wound                                Care  Disposable  transparent  wound  dressings  comprising     ClearSite(R)
                                     proprietary hydrogel; able to absorb 2 1/2 times its  weight    Hydrogauze(R
                                     in wound exudate.

Surgical Suction Instruments and     Disposable surgical suction instruments and connecting          CONMED(R)
     Tubing                          tubing, including Yankauer, Poole, Frazier and Sigmoidoscopic
                                     instrumentation,  for use by physicians in the majority of
                                     open surgical procedures.

Intravenous Therapy                  Disposable  IV drip rate  gravity  controller and               VENI-GARD(R)
                                     disposable catheter stabilization dressing designed             MasterFlow(R)
                                     to hold and secure an IV needle or catheter for use in IV
                                     Stat 2(R) therapy.
</TABLE>
Competitive Strengths

         The Company  attributes its strong  position in certain  markets to the
following competitive factors:

         Leading Market Position in Key Product Areas.  The Company is a leading
provider of  arthroscopic  surgery  devices,  electrosurgical  systems,  powered
surgical  instruments  and ECG  electrodes.  The Company's  product  breadth has
enhanced  its ability to market its  products to  surgeons,  hospitals,  surgery
centers,  GPOs and other customers,  particularly as institutions seek to reduce
costs  and to  minimize  the  number  of  suppliers.  In  addition,  many of the
Company's  products are sold under  leading  brand names,  including  CONMED(R),
Linvatec(R), Aspen Labs(R) and Hall(R) Surgical.

         Broad Product Offering in Key Product Areas. The Company offers a broad
product  line in its key  product  areas.  For  example,  the  Company  offers a
complete  set  of  the  arthroscopy   products  a  surgeon   requires  for  most
arthroscopic procedures,  including instrument and repair sets, implants, shaver
consoles and handpieces,  video systems and related  disposables.  The Company's
product offerings have enabled it to meet a wide range of customer  requirements
and preferences.  In addition,  the Company's customers are increasingly dealing
with fewer  vendors and  demanding a broader  product  offering  from vendors in
order to reduce administrative costs.

         Marketing and Distribution  Network. The Company's national sales force
consists of approximately 230 sales  representatives  who seek to maintain close
relationships with end-users.

                                       8
<PAGE>
         The  Company's  sales  representatives  are trained and educated in the
applications for the products they sell and call directly on surgeons,  hospital
departments, outpatient surgery centers and physician offices. Additionally, the
Company has an international  presence  through sales  subsidiaries and branches
located in key  international  markets.  The Company also maintains  distributor
relationships domestically and in numerous countries worldwide.

         Vertically-integrated  Manufacturing.  The Company manufactures most of
its products.  The Company's  vertically-integrated  manufacturing  allows it to
provide quality products,  to react quickly to changes in demand and to generate
manufacturing efficiencies, including purchasing raw materials used in a variety
of disposable  products in bulk.  The Company  believes  that its  manufacturing
capabilities allow it to contain costs, control quality and maintain security of
proprietary  processes.  The Company  continually  evaluates  its  manufacturing
processes with the objective of increasing automation,  streamlining  production
and enhancing efficiency in order to achieve cost savings.

         Research and Development Capabilities. CONMED has utilized its research
and development capabilities to introduce new products, product enhancements and
new  technologies.  Research and development  expenditures were $12.1 million in
1999.  Recent new product  introductions  include the  E9000(R)  drive  console,
BioStinger(R)  miniscal  repair  device,  UltrAblator(TM)  for the  ablation and
thermal  modification of soft tissue, the System 7500  electrosurgical unit with
argon  beam  coagulation  and  ABCFlex(TM)  for the  repair of  digestive  tract
lesions.

         Integrating  Acquisitions.  Since 1995, the Company has completed seven
acquisitions  including the 1997 acquisition of Linvatec  Corporation which more
than  doubled  the size of the  Company.  These  acquisitions  have  enabled the
Company to broaden its  product  categories,  expand its sales and  distribution
capabilities and increase its international  presence.  The Company's management
team  has   demonstrated   a  historical   ability  to  identify   complementary
acquisitions  and to  integrate  acquired  companies  or product  lines into the
Company's operations.

Business Strategy

         The Company is implementing the following business strategies:

         Introduce New Products and Product Enhancements. The Company's research
and development  program is focused on the development of new surgical products,
as well as the enhancement of existing products. In addition to its own research
and  development,  the Company  benefits from the dialogue and  suggestions  for
product  innovations from its relationships with surgeons and other users of the
Company's products.

         Increase   International   Sales.   The  Company   believes  there  are
significant  sales  opportunities  for its surgical  products outside the United
States. The Linvatec acquisition increased the Company's access to international
markets. The Company is expanding its international  presence and increasing its
penetration into  international  markets by utilizing  Linvatec's  relationships
with foreign  surgeons,  hospitals and  third-party  payers,  as well as foreign
distributors.  The Company is also utilizing  Linvatec's sales  relationships to
introduce  Linvatec's  customers to CONMED's  products.  In 1999,  the Company's
sales outside the United States grew 30%.

         Pursue  Strategic  Acquisitions.  The Company  believes that  strategic
acquisitions  represent a  cost-effective  means of broadening its product line.
The Company  has  historically  targeted  companies  with  proven  technologies,
established  brand  names and a  significant  portion of sales from  single-use,
disposable  products.  Since 1995, the Company has completed seven acquisitions,


                                       9
<PAGE>
expanding its product line to include surgical suction  instruments,  wound care
products  and  most  recently   arthroscopic   products  and  powered   surgical
instruments.

         Provide Broad  Product  Offering in Key Product  Areas.  As a result of
competitive  pressures in the health care  industry,  many health care providers
have aligned themselves with GPOs, which are increasingly contracting with fewer
vendors and demanding a broader product  offering from their vendors in order to
reduce administrative costs. The Company believes that its broad product line is
a positive  factor in the Company's  efforts to meet such demands.  In addition,
the Company has a corporate  sales  department  that markets the Company's broad
product offering to GPOs.

         Realize Manufacturing and Operating  Efficiencies.  The Company expects
to  continue  to  review  opportunities  for  consolidating  product  lines  and
streamlining   production.   The  Company  believes  its  vertically  integrated
manufacturing  process should produce further  opportunities  to reduce overhead
and to increase operating efficiencies and capacity utilization.

Marketing

         CONMED  markets  its  products   domestically  through  a  sales  force
consisting of approximately  230 sales people.  In order to provide a high level
of expertise to medical specialties served, the Company's overall sales force is
separated  into  dedicated  groups  for  1)  arthroscopy,  2)  powered  surgical
instruments,  3)  electrosurgery  and minimal access surgery and 4) patient care
products.  Each  sales  representative  has a  defined  geographic  area  and is
compensated  on a  commission  basis or  through a  combination  of  salary  and
commission.  The sales force is supervised and supported by area directors. Home
office sales and  marketing  management  provide the overall  direction  for the
sales of the Company's products.

         CONMED's  salespeople call on surgeons,  hospitals,  outpatient surgery
centers and physician offices. The Company also has a corporate sales department
that is responsible  for  interacting  with GPOs. The Company has contracts with
many such  organizations  and  believes  that the lack of any  individual  group
purchasing  contract will not adversely impact the Company's  competitiveness in
the  marketplace.  The sale of the Company's  products is accompanied by initial
and  ongoing  in-service  training  of the  end-user.  The field  sales force is
trained in the technical  aspects of the Company's  products and their uses, and
provides  surgeons  and  medical  personal  with  information  relating  to  the
technical  features  and  benefits  of  the  Company's  products.  For  hospital
inventory management purposes, at the hospital's request, some products are sold
to hospitals through  distributors.  The sales force is required to work closely
with  distributors  where  applicable and to maintain close  relationships  with
end-users.

         The Company's  international  sales accounted for  approximately 25% of
total  revenues  in  1999.  Products  are sold in over  100  foreign  countries.
International  sales efforts are  coordinated  through local country  dealers or
with direct  sales  efforts.  CONMED  distributes  its  products  through  sales
subsidiaries  and branches with offices located in Australia,  Belgium,  Canada,
France, Germany, Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Manufacturing

         The Company manufactures most of its products. The Company believes its
vertically  integrated  manufacturing  process  allows  it  to  provide  quality
products and generate manufacturing efficiencies by purchasing raw materials for
its   disposable   products  in  bulk.   The  Company  also  believes  that  its

<PAGE>
manufacturing  capabilities  allow it to  contain  costs,  control  quality  and
maintain security of proprietary processes.  The Company uses various manual and
automated  equipment  for  fabrication  and  assembly  of  its  products  and is
continuing to further automate its facilities.

         The  Company  believes  its  production  and  inventory  practices  are
generally  reflective of conditions in the industry.  The Company's products are
not  generally  made  to  order  or  to  individual   customer   specifications.
Accordingly,  the Company schedules production and stocks inventory on the basis
of experience and its knowledge of customer order patterns,  and its judgment as
to anticipated  demand.  Since customer orders must generally be filled promptly
for immediate  shipment,  backlog of unfilled  orders is not  significant  to an
understanding of the Company's business.

Research and Development Activities

         During  the  three  years,  1997,  1998 and  1999,  the  Company  spent
approximately $3.0 million, $12.0 million and $12.1 million,  respectively,  for
research and  development.  The Company's  research and development  departments
consist of 99 employees.

         The  Company's   research  and   development   programs  focus  on  the
development of new products,  as well as the  enhancement  of existing  products
with the latest  technology  and updated  designs.  The  Company is  continually
seeking to develop  new  technologies  to improve  durability,  performance  and
usability of existing products. In addition to its own research and development,
the Company  receives  new product and  technology  disclosures,  especially  in
procedure-specific areas, from surgeons, inventors and operating room personnel.
For disclosures  that the Company deems promising from a clinical and commercial
perspective,  the Company seeks to obtain  rights to these ideas by  negotiating
agreements,  which  typically  compensate  the  originator  of the idea  through
royalty payments based on a percentage of net sales of licensed products.

         The  Company  has rights to numerous  U.S.  patents  and  corresponding
foreign  patents,  covering a wide range of its  products.  The  Company  owns a
majority of these patents and has licensed  rights to the remainder,  both on an
exclusive and  non-exclusive  basis. In addition,  certain patents are currently
licensed  to  third  parties  on a  non-exclusive  basis.  Due to  technological
advancements,  the  Company  does  not  rely  on its  patents  to  maintain  its
competitive  position,  and  believes  that  development  of  new  products  and
improvement  of existing  ones is and will  continue to be more  important  than
patent protection in maintaining its competitive position.

Competition

         The markets for the Company's products are highly competitive, and many
of the Company's  competitors are substantially  larger and stronger financially
than the Company.  However, the Company does not believe that any one competitor
competes with the Company across all its product lines. Major competitors of the
Company include Arthrex,  Arthrocare Corporation,  Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic,
Inc.,  Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing  Company,  Smith & Nephew plc, Stryker
Corporation, and Tyco International Ltd.

         The Company believes that product design,  development and improvement,
customer acceptance, marketing strategy, customer service and price are critical
elements  to  compete  in its  industry.  Other  alternatives,  such as  medical
procedures or  pharmaceuticals,  could at some point prove to be interchangeable
alternatives to the Company's products.

                                       11
<PAGE>
Government Regulation

         Most if not all of the  Company's  products are  classified  as medical
devices subject to regulation by the FDA and foreign  regulatory  agencies.  The
Company's new products  generally  require FDA clearance under a procedure known
as  510(k)  premarketing   notification.   A  510(k)  premarketing  notification
clearance  indicates FDA agreement  with an applicant's  determination  that the
product for which  clearance  has been  sought is  substantially  equivalent  to
another  medical  device  which  was on the  market  prior to 1976 or which  has
received 510(k)  premarketing  notification  clearance.  Some products have been
continuously  produced,  marketed  and sold since May 1976 and require no 510(k)
premarketing  clearance.  The Company's products generally are either Class I or
Class II products with the FDA,  meaning that the  Company's  products must meet
certain FDA  standards and are subject to the 510(k)  premarketing  notification
clearance  discussed  above, but are not required to be approved by the FDA. FDA
clearance  is subject to continual  review,  and later  discovery of  previously
unknown  problems  may  result  in  restrictions  on a  product's  marketing  or
withdrawal of the product from the market.

         The  Company  has a  quality  control/regulatory  compliance  group  of
approximately  120  employees  that is tasked with  monitoring  compliance  with
design  specifications  and  relevant  government  regulations  for  all  of the
Company's  products.  The  Company and  substantially  all of its  products  are
subject to the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938, as
amended by the Medical  Device  Amendments of 1976,  and the Safe Medical Device
Act of 1990, as amended in 1992, and similar foreign regulations.

         As a  manufacturer  of medical  devices,  the  Company's  manufacturing
processes  and  facilities  are  subject to  periodic  on-site  inspections  and
continuing   review  by  the  FDA  to  insure  compliance  with  Quality  System
Regulations as specified in Title 21, Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) part 820.
Many of the Company's products are subject to industry-set  standards.  Industry
standards  relating  to the  Company's  products  are  generally  formulated  by
committees of the Association  for the  Advancement of Medical  Instrumentation.
See Item 1:  Business-Risk  Factors:  Government  Regulation  of  Products.  The
Company  markets  its  products  in a number of  foreign  markets.  Requirements
pertaining  to its products  vary widely from  country to country,  ranging from
simple product  registrations to detailed  submissions such as those required by
the FDA.  The Company  believes  that its  products  currently  meet  applicable
standards for the countries in which they are marketed.

         The Company is subject to product recall.  The Company  initiated three
recalls during 1998 and 1999. Corrective actions were taken to address the cause
of the recalls.  No recall or production matter has had a material effect on the
Company's business or financial  condition,  but there can be no assurances that
there could not be such a material effect in the future.

         Any change in existing  federal,  state or foreign laws or regulations,
or in the  interpretation  or enforcement  thereof,  or the  promulgation or any
additional  laws or  regulations  could have an adverse  effect on the Company's
business, financial condition or results of operations.

Employees

         As of December 31, 1999, the Company had 2,454 full-time employees,  of
whom  1,652 were in  manufacturing,  99 in  research  and  development,  and the
balance were in sales, marketing,  executive and administrative  positions. None
of the Company's employees are represented by a union, and the Company considers
its employee  relations to be excellent.  The Company has never  experienced any
strikes or work stoppages.

                                       12
<PAGE>
Risk Factors

         Investors  should  carefully  consider the  specific  factors set forth
below as well as the other information  included or incorporated by reference in
this Form 10-K. See "Item 1: Business -- Forward Looking Statements" relating to
certain forward-looking statements in this Form 10-K.

     Significant Leverage and Debt Service

         The Company has  indebtedness  which is  substantial in relation to its
shareholders' equity, as well as interest and debt service requirements that are
significant compared to its cash flow from operations.  As of December 31, 1999,
the Company had $394.7 million of debt  outstanding,  which represented 65.1% of
total  capitalization.  In  addition,  on  December  31,  1999,  the Company had
approximately  $70.0 million available for borrowing under the revolving portion
of the Company's principal bank credit agreement (the "credit facility").

         The degree to which the  Company  is  leveraged  could  have  important
consequences  to investors,  including but not limited to the  following:  (i) a
substantial portion of the Company's cash flow from operations must be dedicated
to debt service and will not be available for operations,  capital expenditures,
acquisitions and other purposes; (ii) the Company's ability to obtain additional
financing in the future for working capital, capital expenditures,  acquisitions
or general corporate  purposes may be limited or impaired;  and (iii) certain of
the Company's  borrowings,  including its borrowings  under the credit facility,
are and will  continue to be at variable  rates of interest,  which  exposes the
Company to the risk of increased interest rates.

         The Company's  ability to satisfy its obligations  will depend upon the
Company's future operating performance,  which will be affected by the Company's
ability  to  effectively   integrate  acquired  businesses  with  the  Company's
operations and by prevailing  economic  conditions  and financial,  business and
other factors,  many of which are beyond the Company's control.  There can be no
assurance  that the  Company's  operating  results  will be  sufficient  for the
Company  to meet its  obligations.  If the  Company  is  unable to  service  its
indebtedness,  it will be  forced  to adopt  an  alternative  strategy  that may
include  actions  such as forgoing  acquisitions,  reducing or delaying  capital
expenditures,  selling assets,  restructuring or refinancing its indebtedness or
seeking  additional equity capital.  There can be no assurance that any of these
strategies could be implemented on terms  acceptable to the Company,  if at all.
See "Item 7:  Management's  Discussion  and Analysis of Financial  Condition and
Results of Operations -- Liquidity and Capital Resources."

         Effects of Acquisitions Generally

         An  element  of the  Company's  business  strategy  has been to  expand
through  acquisitions  and the  Company may seek to pursue  acquisitions  in the
future.  The  success of the  Company is  dependent  in part upon its ability to
effectively integrate acquired operations with the Company's  operations.  While
the Company  believes that it has sufficient  management and other  resources to
accomplish the integration of its past and future acquisitions,  there can be no
assurance  in this regard or that the Company will not  experience  difficulties
with customers, suppliers, distributors,  governmental authorities, personnel or
others.   In  addition,   the  Company  is   generally   entitled  to  customary
indemnification  from sellers of businesses for any  difficulties  that may have
<PAGE>

arisen prior to the Company's  acquisition of each business,  but the amount and
time for claiming under these indemnification  provisions is limited.  There can
be no assurance that the Company will be able to identify and make  acquisitions
on  acceptable  terms or that the Company will be able to obtain  financing  for
such acquisitions on acceptable terms. As a result, the financial performance of
the Company is now and will continue to be subject to various  risks  associated
with the acquisition of businesses,  including the financial  effects  described
above.

                                       13
<PAGE>
         Limitations Imposed by Certain Indebtedness

         The credit facility contains certain  restrictive  covenants which will
affect,  and in many  respects  significantly  limit or  prohibit,  among  other
things, the ability of CONMED and its subsidiaries to incur  indebtedness,  make
prepayments of certain  indebtedness,  make investments,  engage in transactions
with  affiliates,  sell assets,  engage in mergers and  acquisitions and realize
important elements of its business  strategy.  The credit facility also requires
the Company to meet certain  financial  ratios and tests.  These  covenants  may
prevent  the  Company  from  integrating  its  acquired   businesses,   pursuing
acquisitions, significantly limit the operating and financial flexibility of the
Company  and  limit its  ability  to  respond  to  changes  in its  business  or
competitive  activities.  The  ability  of  the  Company  to  comply  with  such
provisions  may be affected by events  beyond its  control.  In the event of any
default under the credit  facility,  the credit facility  lenders could elect to
declare all amounts  borrowed under the credit  facility,  together with accrued
interest,  to be due and  payable.  If the  Company  were  unable to repay  such
borrowings, the lenders thereunder could proceed against the collateral securing
the credit  facility,  which consists of  substantially  all of the property and
assets of CONMED and its subsidiaries.

     Significant Competition and Other Market Considerations

         The market for the Company's  products is highly  competitive.  Many of
these  competitors  offer a range of products in areas other than those in which
the  Company  competes,  which  may make such  competitors  more  attractive  to
surgeons,  hospitals,  GPOs  and  others.  In  addition,  many of the  Company's
competitors are larger and have greater financial resources than the Company and
offer a range of  products  broader  than  the  Company's.  Competitive  pricing
pressures or the introduction of new products by the Company's competitors could
have an adverse effect on the Company's revenues and profitability.  Some of the
companies  with which the Company now competes or may compete in the future have
or may have more extensive  research,  marketing and manufacturing  capabilities
and significantly  greater  technical and personnel  resources than the Company,
and may be better positioned to continue to improve their technology in order to
compete in an evolving industry. See "Item 1: Business-- Competition."

         Demand for and use of the Company's  products may fluctuate as a result
of changes in surgeon  preferences,  the  introduction  of new  products  or new
features  to  existing  products,   the  introduction  of  alternative  surgical
technology and advances in surgical  procedures and  discoveries or developments
in the health care  industry.  In recent  years,  the health care  industry  has
undergone  significant  change  driven  by  various  efforts  to  reduce  costs,
including  efforts at national  health care reform,  trends toward managed care,
cuts in  Medicare,  consolidation  of health  care  distribution  companies  and
collective  purchasing  arrangements by office-based  health care practitioners.
There can be no assurance  that demand for the  Company's  products  will not be
adversely affected by such fluctuations and trends.

         Patents and Proprietary Technology

         Much of the  technology  used  in the  markets  in  which  the  Company
competes  is covered by  patents.  The Company  has  numerous  U.S.  patents and
corresponding  foreign  patents on products  expiring at various dates from 2000
through  2017 and has  additional  patent  applications  pending.  See  "Item 1:
Business -- Research and Development  Activities." Although the Company does not
<PAGE>
rely solely on its patents to maintain its competitive position, the loss of the
Company's patents could reduce the value of the related products and any related
competitive  advantage.  Competitors  may  also  be able to  design  around  the
Company's  patents and to compete  effectively with the Company's  products.  In
addition,  the cost to prosecute  infringements of the Company's  patents or the
cost to defend the Company against patent  infringement  actions by others could
be substantial.  There can be no assurance that pending patent applications will
result in issued patents, that patents issued to or licensed by the Company will


                                       14

<PAGE>
not be challenged by  competitors or that such patents will be found to be valid
or sufficiently broad to protect the Company's technology or provide the Company
with a competitive advantage.

         Government Regulation of Products

All of the  Company's  products are  classified  as medical  devices  subject to
regulation  by the Food and Drug  Administration  (the "FDA") and are subject to
similar regulations in foreign countries.  As a manufacturer of medical devices,
the  Company's  manufacturing  processes and  facilities  are subject to on-site
inspection and continuing  review by the FDA to insure  compliance with "Quality
System  Regulations,"  as defined by the FDA.  Failure to comply with applicable
domestic and/or foreign  requirements can result in fines,  recall or seizure of
products,  total or partial  suspension  of  production,  withdrawal of existing
product approvals or clearances, refusal to approve or clear new applications or
notices  and  criminal  prosecution.  Many of the  Company's  products  are also
subject to  industry-set  standards.  The failure to comply with Quality  System
Regulations or industry-set  standards  could have a material  adverse effect on
the Company's business, financial condition or results of operations.

The  Company is subject to product  recall.  The  Company's  product  lines have
experienced  a number  of  product  recalls.  See  "Item 1:  Business-Government
Regulation".  Although no recall or production matter has had a material adverse
effect on the Company's business,  financial condition or results of operations,
there can be no  assurance  to this effect in the  future.  The Company has been
expending significant resources to improve the quality of its regulatory status.
There can be no assurance  that these  expenditures  will not increase,  or that
regulatory agencies will be satisfied with these efforts.

         Risks Relating to International Operations

A portion of the Company's  operations are conducted  outside the United States,
with  approximately  25% of the Company's  1999 net sales  constituting  foreign
sales. As a result of its  international  operations,  the Company is subject to
risks associated with operating in foreign countries, including devaluations and
fluctuations  in  currency   exchange   rates,   imposition  of  limitations  on
conversions  of foreign  currencies  into dollars or remittance of dividends and
other  payments by foreign  subsidiaries,  imposition or increase of withholding
and other taxes on remittances and other payments by foreign subsidiaries, trade
barriers,  political risks, including political  instability,  hyperinflation in
certain  foreign  countries and  imposition or increase of investment  and other
restrictions by foreign  governments.  There can be no assurance that such risks
will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's business and results of
operations.

         Risk of Product Liability Actions

The nature of the Company's  products as medical  devices and today's  litigious
environment  in the United  States  should be regarded as  potential  risks that
could  significantly and adversely affect the Company's  financial condition and
results of operations. The Company maintains insurance to protect against claims
associated with the use of its products,  but such insurance coverage is subject
to numerous  deductibles  and policy  limitations  and there can be no assurance
that its insurance  coverage would  adequately cover the amount or nature of any
claim asserted against the Company. See "Item 3: Legal Proceedings."


                                       15
<PAGE>
Item 2.   Properties

Facilities

The  Company  manufactures  most  of  its  products.  Substantially  all  of the
Company's  property  and  assets  are  pledged  as  collateral  under the Credit
Facility.  The  following  table  provides  information  regarding the Company's
facilities.  The Company  believes its facilities are adequate in terms of space
and suitability for its needs over the next several years.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      Lease
       Location                      Square Feet         Own or Lease               Expiration
       --------                      -----------         ------------               ----------
<S>                                     <C>                <C>                     <C>
Utica, NY (two facilities)              650,000              Own                       --

Largo, FL                               213,000             Lease                      2009

Rome, NY                                120,000              Own                       --

Englewood, CO                            65,000              Own                       --

Irvine, CA                               31,000             Lease                  August 2001

El Paso, TX                              29,000             Lease                   April 2002

Juarez, Mexico                           25,000             Lease                 December 2002

Santa Barbara, CA                        18,000             Lease                 December 2001
</TABLE>
Item 3.   Legal Proceedings

         From  time to time the  Company  is a  defendant  in  certain  lawsuits
alleging product liability, patent infringement, or other claims incurred in the
ordinary course of business. While patent infringement claims are not subject to
insurance, the product liability, and many other claims are generally covered by
various insurance  policies,  subject to certain  deductible amounts and maximum
policy  limits.  When there is no insurance  coverage,  the Company  establishes
sufficient  reserves to cover probable losses  associated with such claims.  The
Company does not expect that the  resolution  of any pending  claims will have a
material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  financial  condition  or results of
operations.

         Manufacturers  of medical  products  may face  exposure to  significant
product  liability claims. To date, the Company has not experienced any material
product liability claims, but any such claims arising in the future could have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business or results of operations.  The
Company  currently   maintains   commercial   product  liability   insurance  of
$25,000,000  per incident and $25,000,000 in the aggregate  annually,  which the
Company,  based on its experience,  believes is adequate.  This coverage is on a
claims-made  basis.  There  can be no  assurance  that  claims  will not  exceed
insurance  coverage or that such  insurance will be available in the future at a
reasonable cost to the Company.

         The Company's  operations are subject to a number of environmental laws
and  regulations  governing,  among  other  things,  air  emissions,  wastewater
<PAGE>
discharges,  the use, handling and disposal of hazardous  substances and wastes,
soil and  groundwater  remediation  and  employee  health  and  safety.  In some
jurisdictions   environmental  requirements  may  be  expected  to  become  more
stringent in the future.  In the United States  certain  environmental  laws can


<PAGE>
impose  liability  for the  entire  cost of site  restoration  upon  each of the
parties that may have  contributed to conditions at the site regardless of fault
or the lawfulness of the party's activities.

         While  the  Company  does  not  believe  that  the  present   costs  of
environmental compliance and remediation are material, there can be no assurance
that future compliance or remedial obligations could not have a material adverse
effect on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

                                       16

Item 4.   Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

         No matter was submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth
quarter of the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

                                       17
<PAGE>
                                     PART II

Item 5. Market for the Registrant's Common Stock and Related Stockholder Matters

         The Company's  Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, is traded on the
Nasdaq Stock  Market  (symbol - CNMD).  At December  31, 1999,  there were 1,238
registered  holders of the Company's Common Stock and, in addition,  the Company
has been notified that, on such date,  there were  approximately  7,074 accounts
held in "street name".

         The following  table shows the high-low last sales prices for the years
ended  December 31, 1998 and 1999, as reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market.  Such
over-the-counter  market quotations reflect inter-dealer prices,  without retail
mark-up,  mark-down and  commission  and may not  necessarily  represent  actual
transactions.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             --------------------------------------
                                               1998
Period                          High                         Low
                             --------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                           <C>
First Quarter                 $25.75                        $21.50

Second Quarter                 26.00                         21.13

Third Quarter                  24.88                         20.31

Fourth Quarter                 33.00                         21.88

<CAPTION>

                             --------------------------------------
                                               1999
Period                          High                         Low
                             --------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                           <C>
First Quarter                 $33.62                        $27.09

Second Quarter                 34.25                         28.12

Third Quarter                  33.18                         24.50

Fourth Quarter                 27.62                         22.37
</TABLE>
         The  Company has never paid cash  dividends  on its Common  Stock.  The
Board of  Directors  presently  intends  to retain  future  earnings  to service
indebtedness and finance the development of the Company's  business and does not
presently  intend to declare  cash  dividends.  Should this policy  change,  the
declaration  of dividends will be determined by the Board in light of conditions
then existing,  including the Company's financial requirements and condition and
the prohibition on the  declaration  and payment of cash dividends  contained in
debt agreements.

                                       18
<PAGE>
Item 6.   Selected Financial Data
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          FIVE YEAR SUMMARY OF SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
                                              (In thousands, except per share data)

                                                                                   Years Ended December
                                                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              1995          1996          1997            1998           1999
                                                          ---------      ---------      ---------      ---------      ---------
<S>                                                       <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>
Statements of Operations Data(1):
     Net sales ......................................     $  99,558      $ 125,630      $ 138,270      $ 336,442      $ 372,617
     Cost of sales (2) ..............................        52,402         65,393         74,220        169,599        178,480
     Selling and administrative expense (3) .........        25,570         31,620         35,299         93,647        107,233
      Research and development expense ..............         2,832          2,953          3,037         12,029         12,108
      Unusual items (3) .............................          --             --          37, 242           --             --
                                                          ---------      ---------      ---------      ---------      ---------
      Income (loss) from operations .................        18,754         25,664        (11,528)        61,167         74,796
                                                          ---------      ---------      ---------      ---------      ---------

     Interest income (expense), net .................        (1,991)          (217)           823        (30,891)       (32,360)

     Income (loss) before income taxes
       and extraordinary item .......................        16,763         25,447        (10,705)        30,276         42,436
     Provision (benefit) for income taxes ...........         5,900          9,161         (3,640)        10,899         15,277
                                                          ---------      ---------      ---------      ---------      ---------
     Income (loss) before extraordinary item ........        10,863         16,286         (7,065)        19,377         27,159
         Extraordinary item, net of income taxes (4)           --             --             --           (1,569)          --
         Net income (loss) ..........................     $  10,863      $  16,286      $  (7,065)     $  17,808      $  27,159
                                                          =========      =========      =========      =========      =========

Earnings (Loss) Per Share Before Extraordinary Item:

     Basic ..........................................     $    1.03      $    1.16      $   (0.47)     $    1.28      $    1.78
                                                          =========      =========      =========      =========      =========
     Diluted ........................................     $    0.94      $    1.12      $   (0.47)     $    1.26      $    1.76
                                                          =========      =========      =========      =========      =========
Earnings (Loss) Per Share:

        Basic .......................................     $    1.03      $    1.16      $   (0.47)     $    1.18      $    1.78
                                                          =========      =========      =========      =========      =========
        Diluted .....................................     $    0.94      $    1.12      $   (0.47)     $    1.16      $    1.76
                                                          =========      =========      =========      =========      =========

Weighted Average Number of Common Shares
    In Calculating:
     Basic earnings (loss) per share ................        10,517         14,045         14,997         15,085         15,241
                                                          =========      =========      =========      =========      =========
      Diluted earnings (loss) per share .............        11,613         14,496         14,997         15,321         15,430
                                                          =========      =========      =========      =========      =========
Other Financial Data:
     Depreciation and amortization ..................     $   5,015      $   6,410      $   6,954      $  23,601      $  25,749
     EBITDA(5) ......................................        23,769         32,074         32,668         86,576         99,568
     Capital expenditures ...........................         5,195          4,946          8,178         12,924          9,352
     Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (6) .........         8.84x         79.30x             (6)          1.95           2.27

</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                            December
                                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   1995         1996         1997         1998          1999
                                                                --------      --------      --------      --------      --------
<S>                                                             <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
Balance Sheet Data(7):
     Cash and cash equivalents ...........................      $  1,539      $ 20,173      $ 13,452      $  5,906      $  3,747
     Total assets ........................................       119,403       170,083       561,637       628,784       662,161
     Long-term debt (including current portion)  .........        32,340          --         365,000       384,872       394,669
     Total shareholders' equity ..........................        75,002       158,635       162,736       182,168       211,261

</TABLE>

                                                   (footnotes on following page)

                                       19

<PAGE>
(1)  Includes,  based on the purchase  method of accounting,  the results of (i)
     Birtcher  Medical  Systems,  Inc.  from March 1995;  (ii) the IV controller
     product line acquired from Master Medical  Corporation from May 1995; (iii)
     NDM, Inc., the subsidiary  formed as a result of the product lines acquired
     from New  Dimensions  in  Medicine,  Inc.,  from  February  1996;  (iv) the
     surgical  suction  product line acquired from the Davol  subsidiary of C.R.
     Bard,  Inc.,  from July 1997;  (v) Linvatec  Corporation  from December 31,
     1997; (vi) the arthroscopy  product line acquired from Minnesota Mining and
     Manufacturing  (3M) from November  1998;  and (vii) the powered  instrument
     product line  acquired from 3M from August 1999; in each such case from the
     date of acquisition.

(2)  Includes for 1998,  $3,000,000 of incremental expense related to the excess
     of the fair value at the  acquisition  date of Linvatec  inventory over the
     cost to produce;  includes  for 1999,  $1,600,000  of  incremental  expense
     related to the excess of the fair  value at the  acquisition  date over the
     cost to produce  inventory related to the powered  instrument  produce line
     acquired from 3M.

(3)  Included in unusual  items for 1997,  a  $34,000,000  non-cash  acquisition
     charge for the write-off of all of the in-process  research and development
     products  (comprised of products in the development  stage) acquired in the
     Linvatec  acquisition,   $914,000  write-off  of  deferred  financing  fees
     resulting from refinancing the Company's loan agreements in connection with
     the  Linvatec  acquisition,  and  $2,328,000  charge for the closing of the
     Company's  Dayton,  Ohio  manufacturing  facility.  Included in selling and
     administrative  expense  for  1999,  a  $1,256,000  benefit  related  to  a
     previously  recorded  litigation  accrual  which was  settled on  favorable
     terms.

(4)  In March 1998, the Company recorded an extraordinary item of $1,569,000 net
     of income taxes related to the write-off of deferred financing fees.

(5)  EBITDA  represents   earnings  before  interest   expense,   income  taxes,
     depreciation and amortization,  (except  amortization of deferred financing
     fees included in interest expense) unusual items and inventory  adjustments
     pursuant to purchase accounting.  EBITDA is included herein because certain
     investors  consider  it to be a useful  measure of a  company's  ability to
     service  its  debt;  however,  EBITDA  does not  represent  cash  flow from
     operations,  as defined in generally accepted  accounting  principles,  and
     should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute  for net income or
     cash flow from operations or as a measure of profitability or liquidity.

(6)  The ratio of  earnings to fixed  charges is  calculated  by dividing  fixed
     charges into income before income taxes and extraordinary  items plus fixed
     charges.  Fixed charges include interest expense,  amortization of deferred
     financing  fees and the estimated  interest  component of rent expense.  In
     1997,  the Company had a deficiency  of earnings to cover fixed  charges of
     $10,558,000.

(7)  Linvatec is included in the  Historical  Balance  Sheet Data as of December
     31, 1997, its date of acquisition,  after a one-time  non-cash  acquisition
     charge of $34,000,000.

                                       20
<PAGE>
Item 7.   Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
          Results of Operations

         The following  discussion  should be read in conjunction  with Selected
Historical  Financial  Information  (Item  6)  and  the  consolidated  financial
statements of CONMED which are included  elsewhere or  incorporated by reference
in this Form 10-K.

General

         CONMED  Corporation  (the  "Company") is a medical  technology  company
specializing in instruments and implants for arthroscopic  sports medicine,  and
powered surgical instruments,  such as drills and saws, for orthopaedic, ENT and
neurosurgery. The Company is also a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier
of advanced medical devices,  including  electrosurgical systems, ECG electrodes
for heart monitoring,  and minimally  invasive  surgical devices.  The Company's
products are used in a variety of clinical  settings,  such as operating  rooms,
surgery centers, physicians' offices and critical care areas of hospitals.

Results of Operations

         The  following  table  presents,  as a percent  of net  sales,  certain
categories  included  in  CONMED's  consolidated  statements  of income  for the
periods indicated:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              Years Ended December
                                                                    ----------------------------------------
                                                                     1997              1998             1999
                                                                     ----              ----             ----
<S>                                                                 <C>              <C>               <C>
Net sales.....................................................      100.0%           100.0%            100.0%
Cost of sales.................................................       53.7             50.4              47.9
                                                                    -----            -----             -----
   Gross margin...............................................       46.3             49.6              52.1
Selling and administrative expense............................       25.5             27.8              28.8
Research and development expense..............................        2.2              3.6               3.3
Unusual items.................................................       26.9                -                 -
                                                                    -----            -----             -----
Income (loss) from operations.................................       (8.3)            18.2              20.0
Interest income (expense), net................................         .6             (9.2)             (8.6)
                                                                    -----            -----             -----
Income (loss) before income taxes and extraordinary item......       (7.7)             9.0              11.4
Provision (benefit) from income taxes.........................       (2.6)             3.2               4.1
                                                                    -----            -----             -----
     Income (loss) before extraordinary item..................       (5.1)%            5.8%              7.3%
                                                                    =====            =====             =====
</TABLE>

Years Ended December 1999 and December 1998

         Sales for 1999 were  $372,617,000,  an  increase  of 10.8%  compared to
sales  of  $336,442,000  in  1998.  Arthroscopy  sales  grew  19.4%  in  1999 to
$144,000,000,  with 10.3% of the increase due to internal growth and 9.1% due to
the Company's  acquisition of an arthroscopy  product line from Minnesota Mining
and   Manufacturing   Company   (3M)  in   November   1998   (the   "Arthroscopy
<PAGE>
acquisition"--Note  2). Powered surgical  instrument sales grew 20.5% in 1999 to
$84,700,000  with 7.3% due to  internal  growth  and 13.2% due to the  Company's
acquisition  of the  powered  instrument  business  from 3M in August  1999 (the
"Powered  Instrument  acquisition"--Note  2).  Electrosurgery,  patient care and
other   surgical   product  lines   declined  1.2%  in  1999  to   $143,900,000.
Approximately  2% of the total sales growth in 1999 as compared to 1998 reflects
the pricing impact of changes in distribution from 1999 as compared to the first
six months of 1998. In connection with the December 1997 acquisition of Linvatec
Corporation  (the "Linvatec  acquisition"--Note  2) from  Bristol-Meyers  Squibb
("BMS"),  the Company  entered  into fixed price  distribution  agreements  with
Zimmer,  Inc., a  wholly-owned  subsidiary of BMS, to distribute  certain of the
Company's  products  in  selected  geographic  markets.  Beginning  in the third
quarter of 1998, most of the products  formerly  distributed by Zimmer were sold
and distributed  directly by the Company,  resulting in improved pricing for the
affected products.

                                       21
<PAGE>
         Cost  of  sales   increased  to   $178,480,000   in  1999  compared  to
$169,599,000  in 1998.  In  connection  with the August 1999 Powered  Instrument
acquisition,   the  Company   increased  the  acquired  value  of  inventory  by
$1,600,000;  this inventory was sold during the quarter ended September 1999 and
served to increase cost of sales in 1999 by $1,600,000. Similarly, in connection
with purchase accounting for the Linvatec acquisition, the Company increased the
acquired  value of  inventory  by  $3,000,000  over its  production  cost;  this
inventory  was sold during the  quarter  ended March 1998 and served to increase
cost of sales in 1998 by $3,000,000. Excluding the impact of these non-recurring
adjustments,  cost of sales increased to $176,859,000 in 1999 from  $166,606,000
in 1998, as a result of increased  sales volumes as described  above.  Excluding
the nonrecurring adjustments, the Company's gross margin percentage for 1999 was
52.5%  compared to 50.5% for 1998.  The increase in gross margin  percentage  is
primarily  attributable  to higher sales  volumes in the  Company's  orthopaedic
product  lines which carry  higher gross  margins than certain of the  Company's
other product lines as well as improved  pricing  resulting from the elimination
of most of the fixed price product distribution agreements with Zimmer discussed
previously.

         Selling and  administrative  costs increased to $107,233,000 in 1999 as
compared to  $93,647,000  in 1998.  The  increase in selling and  administrative
expense is primarily a result of additional  selling expense associated with the
increase  in  sales  in 1999 as  compared  to 1998,  including  increased  costs
associated  with the  direct  selling  and  distribution  of  products  formerly
distributed  through  Zimmer  during  the  first  half  of  1998  and  increased
intangible  amortization  resulting from the Powered Instrument  acquisition and
the Arthroscopy  acquisition.  Partially offsetting these increases,  during the
fourth  quarter  of 1999,  the  Company  recognized  the  benefit  amounting  to
$1,256,000  of a previously  recorded  litigation  accrual  which was settled on
favorable  terms and is  included in selling and  administrative  expense.  As a
result of these costs,  as a  percentage  of sales,  selling and  administrative
expense increased to 28.8% in 1999 as compared to 27.8% in 1998.

         Research and development expense was $12,108,000 in 1999 as compared to
$12,029,000 in 1998. As a percentage of sales,  research and development expense
was 3.3% in 1999 as  compared  to 3.6% in  1998.  The  amount  of  research  and
development  expense  incurred in 1999 is consistent with 1998  representing the
Company's  ongoing  efforts  in this area.

         Interest  expense for 1999 was  $32,360,000  compared to $30,891,000 in
1998.  In  connection  with the Powered  Instrument  acquisition,  the Company's
existing credit facility was amended in the third quarter of 1999 to provide for
an additional $40,000,000 loan commitment which was used to fund the acquisition
purchase  price.  The  increase in interest  expense is a result of these higher
term loan borrowings and higher average borrowings under the Company's revolving
credit  facility  during  1999 as  compared  to 1998.  The  Company  funded  its
Arthroscopy  acquisition  during the fourth  quarter of 1998 through  borrowings
under the  revolving  credit  facility  which  resulted  in the  higher  average
borrowings.  Offsetting the interest on these  increased  borrowings was reduced
interest expense on the Company's term loans as a result of scheduled  quarterly
principal payments totaling $23,103,000 in 1999. (See discussion under Liquidity
and  Capital  Resources  section of  Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis  of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations).

         During the first quarter of 1998, the Company  completed an offering of
subordinated notes (the "Notes") and used the net proceeds to repay a portion of
the Company's  term loans under its credit  facility.  Deferred  financing  fees
<PAGE>
relating to the portion of the credit  facility  repaid  amounting to $2,451,000
($1,569,000 net of income taxes) were  written-off as an  extraordinary  charge.
(See Note 5 and  discussion  under  Liquidity and Capital  Resources  section of
Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis of  Financial  Condition  and Results of
Operations).


                                       22
<PAGE>
Years Ended December 1998 and December 1997

         Sales for 1998 were $336,442,000, an increase of 143% compared to sales
of  $138,270,000  in 1997.  Approximately  138% of the total  sales  increase is
related to the Linvatec acquisition.  The remaining increase of approximately 5%
is  attributable  to the  July  1997  surgical  suction  instrument  and  tubing
acquisition from Davol, Inc. (the "Davol acquisition"--Note 2).

         Cost of sales increased to $169,599,000 in 1998 compared to $74,220,000
in 1997. In connection  with purchase  accounting for the Linvatec  acquisition,
the Company  increased the acquired  value of inventory by  $3,000,000  over its
production cost; this inventory was sold during the quarter ended March 1998 and
served to increase cost of sales in 1998 by $3,000,000.  Excluding the impact of
this non-recurring  adjustment,  cost of sales increased to $166,606,000 in 1998
from  $74,220,000  in 1997, as a result of increased  sales volumes as described
above.  Excluding  the  nonrecurring  adjustment,  the  Company's  gross  margin
percentage  for 1998 was 50.5% compared to 46.3% for 1997. The increase in gross
margin   percentage  is  primarily   attributable  to  sales  of  the  Company's
orthopaedic product lines acquired through the Linvatec  acquisition which carry
higher  gross  margins  than  certain  of the  Company's  other  product  lines.
Additionally as discussed  above,  in connection with the Linvatec  acquisition,
the Company  entered  into fixed price  distribution  agreements  with Zimmer to
distribute  certain of the Company's  products in selected  geographic  markets.
Beginning  in  the  third  quarter  of  1998,  most  of  the  products  formerly
distributed by Zimmer were sold and  distributed  directly by the Company.  As a
result,  the Company's  gross margin  percentage was 52.0% in the second half of
1998 as compared to 47% in the first half of 1998.

         Selling and  administrative  costs  increased to $93,647,000 in 1998 as
compared  to  $35,299,000  in  1997,  primarily  as a  result  of  the  Linvatec
acquisition.  As a percentage of sales,  selling and administrative  expense was
27.8% in 1998 and 25.5% in 1997.  This  increase  reflects  the  overall  higher
selling and administrative  efforts associated with the sales of the orthopaedic
products acquired in connection with the Linvatec acquisition.

         Research and development expense was $12,029,000 in 1998 as compared to
$3,037,000 in 1997. The increase  reflects expense related to Linvatec  research
and development activities.

         There were no unusual  charges  recorded in 1998.  As discussed in Note
11,  in  1997  CONMED  recorded  $37,242,000  of  unusual  items,   including  a
$34,000,000  non-cash  acquisition  charge for the  write-off of the  in-process
research  and  development  (comprised  of  products in the  development  stage)
acquired  in the  Linvatec  acquisition,  $914,000 of  deferred  financing  fees
resulting from the  refinancing  of the Company's loan  agreements in connection
with the  Linvatec  acquisition  and a  $2,328,000  charge  for the  closing  of
CONMED's Dayton, Ohio manufacturing facility.

         Interest  expense for 1998 was $30,891,000  compared to interest income
of $823,000 in 1997. As discussed under Liquidity and Capital  Resources section
of  Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial  Condition and Results of
Operations,  the Company acquired Linvatec  Corporation on December 31, 1997 and
borrowed $365 million under its credit  facility.  The Company had no borrowings
outstanding  during 1997, except the acquisition  related borrowings on December
31, 1997.  The Company  completed an offering of  subordinated  notes during the
quarter  ended  March 1998 and used the net  proceeds  to repay a portion of the
Company's term loans under its credit facility. Deferred financing fees relating
to the portion of the credit facility repaid amounting to $2,451,000 ($1,569,000
net of income taxes) were written-off as an extraordinary item in 1998.

                                       23
<PAGE>
Liquidity and Capital Resources

         The Company's net working  capital  position  increased  $16,102,000 or
17.2% to $109,526,000 at December 1999 compared to $93,424,000 at December 1998.
Net cash provided by operations was $37,030,000 for 1999 compared to $20,962,000
for 1998.  Operating  cash flow was  positively  impacted  by higher net income,
depreciation,  and  amortization  in 1999 as  compared  to 1998,  as well as the
change in deferred  income taxes.  Negatively  impacting  operating cash flow in
1999 were  increases  in accounts  receivable  and  inventory  and  decreases in
accounts  payable,  accrued  interest and accrued  liabilities.  The increase in
accounts  receivable is primarily related to the increase in sales; the increase
in inventory is related to the Arthroscopy  acquisition  and Powered  Instrument
acquisition  and overall  higher levels of inventory  on-hand.  The decreases in
accounts payable, accrued interest and accrued liabilities are primarily related
to the timing of the payment of these liabilities. Adversely impacting operating
cash flows in 1998 as compared  to 1997 was an  increase in accounts  receivable
and inventories  primarily as a result of the timing of the Company's assumption
of  Linvatec's   international  operations  previously  managed  by  Zimmer.  In
connection with the Linvatec acquisition, the Company assumed responsibility for
the  majority  of   Linvatec's   international   operations  on  July  1,  1998.
Accordingly,  the receivables and inventory of the international operations were
not acquired or funded by the Company until the second half of 1998.

         Net cash used by investing activities in 1999 included $40,600,000 paid
related  to the  Powered  Instrument  acquisition.  Net cash  used by  investing
activities  in  1998  included  $17,500,000  paid  related  to  the  Arthroscopy
acquisition  and  $14,400,000  of  payments  related to the  Linvatec  and Davol
acquisitions.  Components of the Linvatec  acquisition  related payments include
investment   banking  and   professional   fees   related  to  the   acquisition
($6,300,000),  payments  associated  with the closure of  Linvatec's  San Dimas,
California   facility   ($2,500,000),   payments  to  Zimmer,  Inc.  to  acquire
demonstration  equipment  ($1,400,000)  and other  acquisition  related payments
($2,500,000).  Cash  payments  related  to the  Davol  acquisition  amounted  to
$1,700,000,  of which  $1,200,000  represented  severance costs  associated with
closure  of the  Company's  Kansas  manufacturing  operation.  Net cash  used by
investing  activities in 1997 includes  $370,000,000 in payments  related to the
Linvatec  acquisition and $24,000,000 related to the Davol acquisition.  Capital
expenditures  for 1999,  1998 and 1997 amounted to $9,352,000,  $12,924,000  and
$8,178,000, respectively.

         Financing  activities during 1999 consisted  primarily of a $40,000,000
term loan used to fund the Powered Instrument acquisition, scheduled payments of
$23,103,000  on the Company's  previously  existing term loans and $8,000,000 in
repayments on the Company's  revolving  credit  facility.  Financing  activities
during 1998  involved  the  completion  of the Notes  offering in the  aggregate
principal  amount of $130,000,000;  net proceeds from the offering  amounting to
$126,100,000  were used to repay a portion of the Company's term loans under its
credit  facility.  Additionally,  the  Company  borrowed  $23,000,000  under the
revolving credit facility  primarily to finance the Arthroscopy  acquisition and
made  scheduled  payments of $7,028,000 on the Company's  term loans.  Financing
activities  during  1997  involved  borrowing  $350,000,000  in term  loans  and
$15,000,000   on  the  revolving   credit   facility  to  finance  the  Linvatec
acquisition.

         Management  believes that cash generated from  operations,  its current
cash  resources and funds  available  under its revolving  credit  facility will
provide sufficient liquidity to ensure continued working capital for operations,
debt service and funding of capital expenditures in the foreseeable future.
<PAGE>
Foreign Operations

         The Company's foreign  operations are subject to special risks inherent
in doing business outside the United States, including governmental instability,
war  and  other   international   conflicts,   civil  and  labor


                                       24
<PAGE>
disturbances,  requirements of local ownership,  partial or total expropriation,
nationalization,  currency  devaluation,  foreign exchange  controls and foreign
laws and  policies,  each of which may limit the  movement of assets or funds or
result in the deprivation of contract  rights or the taking of property  without
fair compensation.

Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

         The Company's  principal market risks involve foreign currency exchange
rates and interest rates.

         The  Company  manufactures  its  products  in  the  United  States  and
distributes  its  products  throughout  the world.  As a result,  the  Company's
financial results could be significantly  affected by factors such as changes in
foreign currency exchange rates or weak economic  conditions in foreign markets.
As  of  December  31,  1999,   the  Company  had  not   established   a  foreign
currency-hedging  program.  The  Company  has  mitigated  and will  continue  to
mitigate  its foreign  currency  exposure  by  transacting  the  majority of its
foreign sales in United States  dollars.  To date,  changes in foreign  currency
exchange  rates  have  not had a  material  effect  on the  Company's  financial
conditions  or results of  operations.  The Company will continue to monitor and
evaluate  its  foreign  currency  exposure  and the need to  establish a foreign
currency hedging program.

         The  Company's  exposure to market  risk for changes in interest  rates
relate  to its  borrowings.  The  Company  does  not  use  derivative  financial
instruments for trading or other  speculative  purposes.  Interest rate swaps, a
form of  derivative,  are used to manage  interest  rate  risk.  Currently,  the
Company has entered  into two  interest  rate swaps  expiring in June 2001 which
convert $100,000,000 of the approximate $264,000,000 of floating rate borrowings
under the Company's  credit facility into fixed rate borrowings at rates ranging
from 7.18% to 8.25%.  Provisions  in one of the interest rate swaps cancels such
agreement  when  LIBOR  exceeds  7.35%.  If market  interest  rates for  similar
borrowings average 1% more in 2000 than they did in 1999, the Company's interest
expense,  after  considering  the  effects of its  interest  rate  swaps,  would
increase,  and income before taxes would decrease by $1,300,000.  Comparatively,
if market interest rates averaged 1% less in 2000 than they did during 1999, the
Company's  interest expense,  after considering the effects of its interest rate
swaps,  would  decrease,  and income before taxes would  increase by $1,200,000.
These amounts are determined by considering the impact of hypothetical  interest
rates on the Company's borrowing cost and interest rate swap agreements and does
not  consider  any  actions by  management  to mitigate  its  exposure to such a
change.

Item 8.   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

         The  Company's  1999  Financial  Statements,  together  with the report
thereon of  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP dated  February  9, 2000,  are  included
elsewhere herein.

Item 9.   Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and
          Financial Disclosures

         The Company and  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP have had no  disagreements
which would be required to be reported under this Item 9.


                                       25
<PAGE>
                                    PART III

Item 10.  Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant

         Information with respect to the Directors and Executive Officers of the
Company is incorporated  herein by reference to the sections captioned "Proposal
One:  Election of  Directors"  and  "Directors,  Executive  Officers  and Senior
Officers" in CONMED Corporation's  definitive Proxy Statement to be mailed on or
about April 10, 2000 for the annual  meeting of  shareholders  to be held on May
16, 2000.

Item 11.  Executive Compensation

         Information  with respect to  Executive  Compensation  is  incorporated
herein  by  reference  to the  sections  captioned  "Compensation  of  Executive
Officers",  "Stock  Option  Plans",  "Pension  Plans"  and  "Board of  Directors
Interlocks  and  Insider   Participation;   Certain  Relationships  and  Related
Transactions" in CONMED Corporation's definitive Proxy Statement to be mailed on
or about April 10, 2000 for the annual meeting of shareholders to be held on May
16, 2000.

Item 12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

         Information  with respect to Security  Ownership of Certain  Beneficial
Owners  and  Management  is  incorporated  herein by  reference  to the  section
captioned  "Security  Ownership of Certain  Beneficial Owners and Management" in
CONMED  Corporation's  definitive Proxy Statement to be mailed on or about April
10, 2000 for the annual meeting of shareholders to be held on May 16, 2000.

Item 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

         Information regarding certain relationships and related transactions is
incorporated  herein by reference to the section  captioned  "Board of Directors
Interlocks  and  Insider   Participation;   Certain  Relationships  and  Related
Transactions" in CONMED Corporation's definitive Proxy Statement to be mailed on
or about April 10, 2000 for the annual meeting of shareholders to be held on May
16, 2000.

                                       26
<PAGE>
                                     PART IV

Item 14.  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, and Reports on Form 8-K

Index to Financial Statements:

 (a)(1)     List of Financial Statements                          Form 10-K Page
                                                                  --------------

            Report of Independent Accountants                            F-1

            Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 1998 and 1999        F-2

            Consolidated Statements of Income for the Years Ended
                 December 1997, 1998 and 1999                            F-3

            Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity for the
                 Years Ended December 1997, 1998 and 1999                F-4

            Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended
                 December 1997, 1998 and 1999                            F-5

            Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements                   F-7

(2)         List of Financial Statement Schedules

            Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Schedule VIII)           F-24

            All  other   schedules  have  been  omitted  because  they  are  not
            applicable,  or the required  information  is shown in the financial
            statements or notes thereto.

(3)         List of Exhibits

            The exhibits  listed on the  accompanying  Exhibit  Index on page 29
            below are filed as part of this Form 10-K.

(b)         Reports on Form 8-K
                  None

                                       27
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the  undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized on the date indicated
below.

                                          CONMED CORPORATION

                                          March 27, 2000

                                          By: /s/ Eugene R. Corasanti
                                          --------------------------
                                          Eugene R. Corasanti
                                          (Chairman of the Board,
                                           Chief Executive Officer)


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1934, this report
has been signed below by the following  persons on behalf of the registrants and
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature                    Title                                      Date

/s/ EUGENE R. CORASANTI      Chairman of the Board
- -----------------------      Chief Executive Officer
Eugene R. Corasanti          And Director                         March 27, 2000

/s/ ROBERT D. SHALLISH, JR.  Vice President-Finance
- ---------------------------  and Chief Financial Officer
Robert D. Shallish, Jr.      (Principal Financial Officer)        March 27, 2000


/s/ JOSEPH J. CORASANTI      President, Chief Operating
- ------------------------     Officer and Director                 March 27, 2000
Joseph J. Corasanti

/s/ LUKE A. POMILIO          Vice President - Corporate
- -------------------          Controller (Principal Accounting
Luke A. Pomilio              Officer)                             March 27, 2000

/s/ BRUCE F. DANIELS         Director                             March 27, 2000
- --------------------
Bruce F. Daniels

/s/ ROBERT E. REMMELL        Director                             March 27, 2000
- ---------------------
Robert E. Remmell

/s/ WILLIAM D. MATTHEWS      Director                             March 27, 2000
- -----------------------
William D. Matthews

/s/ STUART J. SCHWARTZ       Director                             March 27, 2000
- ----------------------
 Stuart J. Schwartz

                                       28
<PAGE>
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.              Description of Instrument
- -----------              -------------------------

2.1      Purchase  Agreement,  dated as of May 28, 1997, by and between Davol,
         Inc. and CONMED Corporation--  incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2
         in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on July 11, 1997.

2.2      Stock and Asset  Purchase  Agreement  dated as of November  26, 1997,
         between  Bristol-Myers  Squibb  company  and CONMED  Corporation,  as
         amended by an amendment dated as of December 31, 1997--  incorporated
         herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1(a) in the Company's Current Report
         on Form 8-K, filed on January 8, 1998

2.3      Amendment dated as of December 31, 1997, between Bristol-Myers Squibb
         Company  and  CONMED  Corporation,  to the Stock  and Asset  Purchase
         Agreement, dated as of November 26, 1997 between Bristol-Myers Squibb
         company and  CONMED--  incorporated  herein by  reference  to Exhibit
         2.1(b) in the Company's  Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on January
         8, 1998.

2.4      Asset Purchase  Agreement between Linvatec  Corporation and Minnesota
         Mining & Manufacturing  Company dated October 8, 1998--  incorporated
         herein by reference to the  Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for
         the year ended December 31, 1998.

2.5      The Asset  Purchase  Agreement,  dated June 29,  1999 by and  between
         Linvatec Corporation and Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing  Company,
         as amended by an  amendment  dated  August  11,  1999--  incorporated
         herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the  Company's  report on Form
         10-Q filed on August 13, 1999.

3.1      Amended and Restated By-Laws, as adopted by the Board of Directors on
         December 26, 1990--  incorporated  herein by reference to the exhibit
         in the  Company's  Current  Report on Form 8-K,  dated  March 7, 1991
         (File No. 0-16093).

3.2      1999  Amendment  to  Certificate   of   Incorporation   and  Restated
         Certificate of Incorporation of CONMED Corporation.

4.1      See Exhibit 3.1.

4.2      See Exhibit 3.2.

4.3      Amended and Restated Credit  Agreement,  dated August 11, 1999, among
         CONMED   Corporation  and  the  several  banks  and  other  financial
         institutions  or  entities  from  time to time  parties  thereto,  --
         incorporated  herein by reference  to Exhibit  10.2 of the  Company's
         report on Form 10-Q filed on August 13, 1999.


4.4      Guarantee and Collateral Agreement,  dated December 31, 1997, made by
         CONMED  Corporation  and certain of its  subsidiaries in favor of The
         Chase Manhattan  Bank--  incorporated  herein by reference to Exhibit
         10.2 in the Company's  Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 8,
         1998.
                                       29
<PAGE>
Exhibit No.              Description of Instrument
- -----------              -------------------------

4.5      Indenture, dated as of March 5, 1998, by an among CONMED Corporation,
         the  Subsidiary  Guarantors  named  therein and First Union  National
         Bank,  as  Trustee--incorporated  by  reference to the exhibit in the
         Company's  Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed on March 26, 1998
         (File No. 333-48693).

4.6      Acknowledgement  and Consent,  dated  August 11,  1999,  among CONMED
         Corporation and each of its  subsidiaries  -- incorporated  herein by
         reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Company's  report on Form 10-Q filed
         on August 13, 1999.

10.1     Employment  Agreement  between the  Company and Eugene R.  Corasanti,
         dated  December 16,  1996--  incorporated  herein by reference to the
         exhibit  in the  Company's  Annual  Report  on Form 10-K for the year
         ended December 31, 1996.

10.2     Amended and Restated  Employee Stock Option Plan  (including  form of
         Stock  Option  Agreement)--  incorporated  herein by reference to the
         exhibit  in the  Company's  Annual  Report  on Form 10-K for the year
         ended  December 25,  1992--  incorporated  herein by reference to the
         exhibit  in the  Company's  Annual  Report  on Form 10-K for the year
         ended December 31, 1996.

10.3     (a) Eugene R.  Corasanti  disability  income plans with  Northwestern
         Mutual Life  Insurance  Company,  dated January 14, 1980 and March 7,
         1981-- policy specification sheets-- incorporated herein by reference
         to Exhibit  10.0(a) of the Company's  Registration  Statement on Form
         S-2 (File No. 33-40455).

(b)      William W. Abraham  disability income plan with  Northwestern  Mutual
         Life Insurance Company,  dated March 24, 1981 -- policy specification
         sheet --  incorporated  herein by reference to Exhibit 10.0(b) of the
         Company's Registration Statement on Form S-2 (File No. 33-40455).

(c)      Eugene R. Corasanti life insurance plan with Northwestern Mutual Life
         Insurance  Company,  dated  October  6, 1979 -- policy  specification
         sheet --  incorporated  herein by reference to Exhibit 10.0(c) of the
         Company's Registration Statement on Form S-2 (File No. 33-40455).

10.4     Eugene R.  Corasanti life insurance  plans with  Northwestern  Mutual
         Life Insurance  Company dated August 25, 1991--  Statements of Policy
         Cost and Benefit  Information,  Benefits and Premiums,  Assignment of
         Life  Insurance  Policy  as  Collateral  --  incorporated  herein  by
         reference to the  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year
         ended December 27, 1991.

10.5     1992 Stock Option Plan (including form of Stock Option Agreement). --
         incorporated  herein by  reference  to the  exhibit in the  Company's
         Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 25, 1992.

                                       30
<PAGE>
Exhibit No.              Description of Instrument
- -----------              -------------------------

10.6     Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee  Directors of CONMED Corporation--
         incorporated by referenceto the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K
         for the year ended December 31, 1996.

10.7     Amendment to 1992 Stock Option  Plan--  incorporated  by reference to
         the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
         31, 1996.

10.8     Transition and Distribution  Services  Agreement,  dated December 31,
         1997,   among  Zimmer,   Inc.,   Linvatec   Corporation   and  CONMED
         Corporation- incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report
         on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997.

10.9     Distribution Agreement,  dated December 31, 1997, among Zimmer, Inc.,
         Linvatec   Corporation  and  CONMED  Corporation  -  incorporated  by
         reference to the  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year
         ended December 31, 1997.

10.10    CONMED  Corporation 1999 Long-Term  Incentive Plan--  incorporated by
         reference  to the  Definitive  Proxy  Statement  for the 1999  annual
         meeting as filed on April 16, 1999.

11       Statement re: Computation of Per Share Earnings.

12       Statement re: Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

21       Subsidiaries of the Registrant.

23       Consent,   dated  March  27,  2000,  of   PricewaterhouseCoopers   LLP,
         independent auditors for CONMED Corporation.

27       Financial Data Schedule.


                                       31
<PAGE>
                        REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

To the Board of Directors and
Shareholders of CONMED Corporation

         In our opinion,  the consolidated  financial  statements  listed in the
index appearing under Item 14 (a)(1) on Page 27 present fairly,  in all material
respects,  the financial  position of CONMED Corporation and its subsidiaries at
December 31, 1999 and 1998,  and the results of their  operations and their cash
flows for each of the three years in the period  ended  December  31,  1999,  in
conformity with accounting  principles  generally accepted in the United States.
In addition,  in our opinion,  the financial  statement  schedule  listed in the
index appearing under Item 14(a)(2) on page 27 presents fairly,  in all material
respects,  the information  set forth therein when read in conjunction  with the
related consolidated  financial  statements.  These financial statements and the
financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the Company's management;
our  responsibility  is to express an opinion on these financial  statements and
the financial statement schedule based on our audits. We conducted our audits of
these statements in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the
United  States  which  require  that we plan and  perform  the  audit to  obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the  financial  statements,   assessing  the
accounting  principles  used and significant  estimates made by management,  and
evaluating the overall  financial  statement  presentation.  We believe that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for the opinion expressed above.




/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
- -----------------------------
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Syracuse, New York
February 9, 2000



                                      F-1
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              CONMED CORPORATION
                                         CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                            December 1998 and 1999
                                     (In thousands except share amounts)
                                                                                      1998           1999
                                                                                   ---------      ---------
<S>                                                                                 <C>            <C>
ASSETS
Current assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents .................................................     $   5,906      $   3,747
    Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,213 in 1998
        and $1,434 in 1999 ....................................................        66,819         76,413
    Income taxes receivable (Note 6) ..........................................         1,441           --
    Inventories (Notes 1 and 3) ...............................................        78,058         89,681
    Deferred income taxes (Note 6) ............................................         2,776          1,453
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets .................................         4,620          5,423
                                                                                    ---------      ---------
               Total current assets ...........................................       159,620        176,717
                                                                                    ---------      ---------
Property, plant and equipment, net (Notes 1 and 4) ............................        60,787         57,834
Deferred income taxes (Note 6) ................................................         3,900           --
Goodwill, net (Notes 1 and 2) .................................................       192,947        223,174
Patents, trademarks and other assets (Note 2) .................................       211,530        204,436
                                                                                    ---------      ---------
               Total assets ...................................................     $ 628,784      $ 662,161
                                                                                    =========      =========
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
    Current portion of long-term debt (Note 5) ................................     $  22,995      $  32,875
    Accounts payable ..........................................................        19,594         16,518
    Accrued payroll and withholdings ..........................................         9,665          9,658
    Income taxes payable ......................................................          --              226
    Accrued interest ..........................................................         6,069          4,588
    Other current liabilities .................................................         7,873          3,326
                                                                                    ---------      ---------
               Total current liabilities ......................................        66,196         67,191
                                                                                    ---------      ---------

Long-term debt (Note 5) .......................................................       361,877        361,794
Deferred income taxes .........................................................          --            3,330
Other long-term liabilities ...................................................        18,543         18,585
                                                                                    ---------      ---------
               Total liabilities ..............................................       446,616        450,900
                                                                                    ---------      ---------
Commitments (Notes 4, 7, 9, and 10)
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      1998           1999
                                                                                   ---------      ---------
<S>                                                                                 <C>            <C>
Shareholders' equity (Notes 1 and 7):
    Preferred stock, par value $.01 per share; authorized 500,000 shares, none
        outstanding ...........................................................          --             --
    Common stock, par value $.01 per share; 100,000,000 authorized; 15,182,811
        and 15,303,806, issued and outstanding in 1998 and 1999, respectively..           152            153
    Paid-in capital ...........................................................       125,039        127,394
    Retained earnings .........................................................        57,361         84,520
    Cumulative translation adjustments ........................................            35           (387)
    Less 25,000 shares of common stock in treasury, at cost ...................          (419)          (419)
                                                                                    ---------      ---------

        Total shareholders' equity ............................................       182,168        211,261
                                                                                    ---------      ---------

               Total liabilities and shareholders' equity .....................     $ 628,784      $ 662,161
                                                                                    =========      =========
</TABLE>
                 See notes to consolidated financial statements.

                                      F-2
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        CONMED CORPORATION
                                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                             Years Ended December 1997, 1998 and 1999
                             (In thousands except per share amounts)

                                                            1997           1998           1999
                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
<S>                                                      <C>            <C>            <C>
Net sales (Note 8) .................................     $ 138,270      $ 336,442      $ 372,617
                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
Cost of sales (Note 2) .............................        74,220        169,599        178,480
Selling and administrative expense (Note 11) .......        35,299         93,647        107,233
Research and development expense ...................         3,037         12,029         12,108
Unusual items (Note 11) ............................        37,242           --             --
                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
                                                           149,798        275,275        297,821
                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
Income (loss) from operations ......................       (11,528)        61,167         74,796
Interest income (expense), net (Note 5) ............           823        (30,891)       (32,360)
                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------

Income (loss) before income taxes and
   extraordinary item ..............................       (10,705)        30,276         42,436
Provision (benefit) for income taxes (Note 6)               (3,640)        10,899         15,277
                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------

Income (loss) before extraordinary item ............        (7,065)        19,377         27,159
                                                         =========      =========      =========

Extraordinary item, net of income taxes (Note 5) ...          --           (1,569)          --
                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------

Net income (loss) ..................................     $  (7,065)     $  17,808      $  27,159
                                                         =========      =========      =========
Per share data:
  Income (loss) before extraordinary item
           Basic ...................................     $    (.47)     $    1.28      $    1.78
           Diluted .................................          (.47)          1.26           1.76
  Extraordinary item
           Basic ...................................          --             (.10)          --
           Diluted .................................          --             (.10)          --
  Net income (loss)
            Basic ..................................          (.47)          1.18           1.78
            Diluted ................................          (.47)          1.16           1.76
</TABLE>
                 See notes to consolidated financial statements.


                                               F-3
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         CONMED CORPORATION
                                           CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
                                              Years Ended December 1997, 1998 and 1999
                                                           (In thousands)

                                                                Common Stock                                         Cumulative
                                                            --------------------        Paid-in       Retained      Translation
                                                            Number        Amount        Capital       Earnings      Adjustments
                                                            ------        ------        -------       --------      -----------
<S>                                                         <C>         <C>            <C>            <C>           <C>
Balance at December 1996 ...........................        14,989      $     150      $ 111,867      $  46,618      $    --
  Exercise of stock options ........................            73              1            661
  Tax benefit arising from exercise of stock .......                                         298
      options
  Issuance of a warrant (Note 2) ...................                                      10,625
   Purchase of CONMED common stock
     (Note 7) ......................................
  Net loss .........................................                                                     (7,065)
                                                            ------        -------      ---------      ---------      ----------

Balance at December 1997 ...........................        15,062            151        123,451         39,553           --


  Exercise of stock options ........................           121              1          1,087
  Tax benefit arising from exercise of stock .......                                         501
      options
  Comprehensive income:
     Translation adjustments .......................                                                                        35
     Net income ....................................                                                     17,808
  Total comprehensive income .......................
                                                            -------        -------      ---------      --------     ----------

 Balance at December 1998 ...........................        15,183            152        125,039        57,361             35


    Exercise of stock options ......................           121              1          1,611

  Tax benefit arising from exercise of ...........                                           744
   stock options
    Comprehensive income:
      Translation adjustments ......................                                                                      (422)
      Net income ...................................                                                     27,159

    Total comprehensive income .....................
                                                            ------        -------      ---------      --------     ----------

Balance at December 1999 ...........................        15,304        $   153      $ 127,394      $ 84,520     $      (387)
                                                            ======        ======       =========      ========     ==========

</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           Total
                                                           Treasury    Shareholders'
                                                             Stock         Equity
                                                             -----         ------
<S>                                                       <C>            <C>
Balance at December 1996 ...........................       $    --        $ 158,635
  Exercise of stock options ........................                            662
  Tax benefit arising from exercise of stock .......                            298
      options
  Issuance of a warrant (Note 2) ...................                         10,625
   Purchase of CONMED common stock
     (Note 7) ......................................            (419)          (419)
  Net loss .........................................                         (7,065)
                                                           ---------     ----------

Balance at December 1997 ...........................            (419)       162,736


  Exercise of stock options ........................                          1,088
  Tax benefit arising from exercise of stock .......                            501
      options
   Comprehensive income:
      Translation adjustments .......................
     Net income
   Total comprehensive income                                                17,843
                                                           ---------     ----------



Balance at December 1998 ...........................            (419)       182,168



    Exercise of stock options ......................                          1,612

  Tax benefit arising from exercise of ...........                              744
   stock options
    Comprehensive income:

      Translation adjustments ......................
      Net income ...................................

    Total comprehensive income .....................                        26,737
                                                           ---------     ---------

Balance at December 1999 ...........................       $    (419)    $ 211,261
                                                           ==========    ==========
</TABLE>
                 See notes to consolidated financial statements.

                                       F-4
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               CONMED CORPORATION
                                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                    Years Ended December 1997, 1998 and 1999
                                                 (In thousands)

                                                                            1997             1998          1999
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
<S>                                                                      <C>            <C>            <C>
Cash flows from operating activities:
     Net income (loss) .............................................     $  (7,065)     $  17,808      $  27,159
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
     Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash
         provided by operations:
         Depreciation ..............................................         3,880          8,098          9,207
         Amortization ..............................................         3,074         15,503         16,542
         Extraordinary item, net of income taxes (Note 5) ..........          --            1,569           --
         Write-off of in-process research and development (Note 2) .
                                                                            34,000           --             --
         Increase  (decrease)  in cash flows  from  changes in
               assets  and  liabilities,  net of effects  from
              acquisitions (Note 2):
              Accounts receivable ..................................        (1,499)       (19,614)        (9,566)
              Inventories ..........................................         6,295        (19,303)        (8,554)
              Prepaid expenses and other current assets ............          (228)        (1,180)          (803)
              Accounts payable .....................................           (73)        10,028         (3,076)
              Income tax receivable/payable ........................           521         (1,348)         1,667
              Income tax benefit of stock option exercises .........           298            501            744
              Accrued payroll and withholdings .....................           263          2,834             (7)
              Accrued interest .....................................          --            6,069         (1,481)
              Other current liabilities ............................         1,627         (1,347)        (2,366)
              Deferred income taxes ................................       (10,809)         7,039          8,553
              Other assets/liabilities, net ........................         1,476         (5,695)          (989)
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
                                                                            38,825          3,154          9,871
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------

              Net cash provided by operations ......................        31,760         20,962         37,030
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
Cash flows from investing activities:
     Payments related to business acquisitions (Note 2) ............      (395,273)       (31,909)       (40,585)
     Acquisition of property, plant and equipment ..................        (8,178)       (12,924)        (9,352)
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
              Net cash used by investing activities ................      (403,451)       (44,833)       (49,937)
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
Cash flows from financing activities:
     Proceeds of long-term debt ....................................       350,000        130,000         40,900
     Borrowings (repayments)under revolving credit facility (Note
     5) ............................................................        15,000         23,000         (8,000)
     Proceeds from issuance of common stock ........................           662          1,088          1,612
     Purchase of treasury stock (Note 7) ...........................          (419)          --             --
     Payments related to issuance of long-term debt ................          --           (4,635)          (661)
     Payments on long-term debt and other obligations ..............          (273)      (133,128)       (23,103)
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
              Net cash provided by financing activities ............       364,970         16,325         10,748
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
</TABLE>
                                      F-5
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            1997             1998          1999
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------
<S>                                                                      <C>            <C>            <C>
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents ..........................        (6,721)        (7,546)        (2,159)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year .....................        20,173         13,452          5,906
                                                                         ---------      ---------      ---------

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year ...........................     $  13,452      $   5,906      $   3,747
                                                                         =========      =========      =========

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid during the year for:
         Interest ..................................................     $    --        $  24,078      $  32,662
         Income taxes ..............................................        6,079          4,121          4,502

</TABLE>
                                      F-6
<PAGE>
Supplemental non-cash investing and financing activities:

     As more fully  described  in Note 2, the  Company  issued a warrant for the
purchase of 1,000,000  common shares with a value of  $10,625,000  in connection
with a 1997 acquisition.

                See notes to consolidated financial statements.


                               CONMED CORPORATION

                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 1 -- Operations and Significant Accounting Policies

Organization and operations

     The  consolidated  financial  statements  include  the  accounts  of CONMED
Corporation and its subsidiaries (the "Company").  All intercompany accounts and
transactions have been eliminated.  CONMED  Corporation is a medical  technology
company  specializing  in  instruments  and  implants  for  arthroscopic  sports
medicine,  and  powered  surgical  instruments,  such as drills  and  saws,  for
orthopaedic,  ENT and  neuro-surgery.  The Company is also a leading  developer,
manufacturer and supplier of advanced medical devices, including electrosurgical
systems,  ECG electrodes for heart monitoring,  and minimally  invasive surgical
devices. The Company's products are used in a variety of clinical settings, such
as operating rooms, surgery centers, physicians' offices and critical care areas
of hospitals.

Statement of cash flows

     The  Company  considers  all highly  liquid  investments  with an  original
maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Inventories

     The  inventories  are  stated at the lower of cost or  market,  cost  being
determined on the first-in, first-out basis.

Property, plant and equipment

     Property,  plant and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated using the
straight-line  method over the  estimated  useful  lives of the related  assets,
which range from four to forty years.  Expenditures  for repairs and maintenance
are  charged to expense  as  incurred.  When  assets  are  retired or  otherwise
disposed of, the cost and related accumulated  depreciation are removed from the
accounts and any resultant gain or loss is recognized.

Goodwill

     Goodwill is amortized over periods ranging from 13 to 40 years. Accumulated
amortization of goodwill amounted to $10,996,000 and $16,901,000 at December 31,
1998 and 1999, respectively.

     When events and  circumstances  so  indicate,  the Company  will assess the
recoverability of its goodwill based upon cash flow forecasts  (undiscounted and
without  interest).  No  impairment  losses have been  recognized  in any of the
periods presented.

Translation of foreign currency financial statements

     Assets and  liabilities of foreign  subsidiaries  have been translated into
United States dollars at the  applicable  rates of exchange in effect at the end
of the period  reported.  Revenues  and  expenses  have been  translated  at the
applicable  weighted  average  rates of  exchange  in effect  during  the period
reported.

                                      F-7
<PAGE>
Translation  adjustments are reflected as a separate  component of shareholders'
equity. Any transaction gains and losses are included in net income.

Earnings (loss) per share

     Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 128, "Earnings per
Share" requires presentation of basic earnings per share ("EPS"), computed based
on the weighted average number of common shares  outstanding for the period, and
diluted EPS,  which gives effect to all dilutive  potential  shares  outstanding
(i.e.,  options  and  warrants)  during  the  period.  Income  used  in the  EPS
calculation is net income (loss) for each year.  Shares used in the  calculation
of basic and diluted EPS were (in thousands):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   1997        1998      1999
                                                                  ------     ------     ------
<S>                                                               <C>        <C>        <C>
Shares used in the calculation of Basic EPS (weighted average
    shares outstanding) .....................................     14,997     15,085     15,241

Effect of dilutive potential securities .....................       --          236        189
                                                                  ------     ------     ------

Shares used in the calculation of Diluted EPS ...............     14,997     15,321     15,430
                                                                  ======     ======     ======
</TABLE>
         The 1997 calculation of diluted EPS excluded the effect of dilutive
potential  securities  aggregating 230,000 shares because to give effect thereto
would have been antidilutive given the net loss for the year. The shares used in
the  calculation of diluted EPS exclude  warrants and options to purchase shares
where the  exercise  price was greater  than the average  market price of common
shares for the year. Such shares aggregated  1,395,000,  1,440,000 and 1,326,000
at December 31, 1997, 1998 and 1999, respectively.

Comprehensive income

         SFAS No. 130, "Reporting  Comprehensive Income",  requires companies to
report a measure of operations called  comprehensive  income.  This measure,  in
addition to "net income" includes as income or loss, the following items,  which
if  present  are  included  in the  equity  section  of the  balance  sheet:  1)
unrealized  gains  and  losses  on  certain   investments  in  debt  and  equity
securities;  2) foreign currency  translation;  and 3) minimum pension liability
adjustments.   The  Company  has  reported   comprehensive   income  within  the
Consolidated Statement of Shareholders' Equity.

Derivative financial instruments

         In June 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 133,  "Accounting for Derivative
Instruments  and Hedging  Activities".  The new standard  requires  companies to
record  derivatives on the balance sheet as assets or  liabilities,  measured at
fair  value.  Gains or losses  resulting  from the  changes in the values of the
derivatives  would be accounted  for depending on whether it qualifies for hedge
accounting.  The Company  will be required to adopt this  standard in the fiscal
year beginning January 1, 2001. Management does not believe that the adoption of
this statement will have a material impact on the financial statements.

         The  Company  uses  interest  rate  swaps to manage the  interest  risk
associated  with its variable rate debt. The Company  accounts for interest rate


                                       F-8
<PAGE>
swaps on the accrual method, whereby the net receivable or payable is recognized
on a periodic basis and included as a component of interest expense. The Company
does not trade in derivative securities.

         The  estimated  fair  value  of cash  and  cash  equivalents,  accounts
receivable,  and  accounts  payable,  approximate  their  carrying  amount.  The
estimated fair values and carrying amounts of long-term  borrowings and interest
rate swaps are as follows (in thousands):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             1998                         1999
                                                   ----------------------       ----------------------
                                                   Carrying         Fair        Carrying         Fair
                                                    Amount          Value         Amount         Value
                                                    ------          -----         ------         -----
<S>                                               <C>            <C>            <C>            <C>
Swap agreements .............................     $     (49)     $    (443)     $      37      $     248

Long-term debt (including current maturities)      (384,872)      (384,872)      (394,669)      (386,219)
</TABLE>

Fair values were determined from quoted market prices or discounted cash flows.

Use of estimates

         The  preparation of financial  statements in conformity  with generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions  that affect the reported  amounts of assets and liabilities and the
disclosure of  contingent  assets and  liabilities  at the date of the financial
statements  and the  reported  amounts  of  revenues  and  expenses  during  the
reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Note 2 -- Business Acquisitions

         On July 1, 1997,  the Company  completed the  acquisition  of a product
line from Davol,  Inc., a subsidiary  of C.R.  Bard,  Inc.,  for a cash purchase
price of $24,000,000  (the "Davol  acquisition").  This  acquisition  was funded
through  available  cash on hand and is being  accounted  for using the purchase
method.  The results of operations of the acquired  product line are included in
the consolidated  results of the Company from the date of acquisition.  Goodwill
associated with the acquisition is being amortized on a straight-line basis over
a 40-year period.

         On December  31,  1997,  the Company  acquired the business and certain
assets of Linvatec  Corporation from  Bristol-Myers  Squibb Company,  for a cash
purchase price of $370,000,000  and the assumption of $28,600,000 of liabilities
(the "Linvatec  acquisition").  This  acquisition was funded through  borrowings
under the Company's credit facility (Note 5).  Bristol-Myers Squibb Company also
received a warrant to purchase 1,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock at
$34.23 per share.  This warrant  expires  December  31, 2007,  and was valued at
$10,625,000.

         The  Linvatec  acquisition  is being  accounted  for using the purchase
method.  The allocation of purchase price  resulted in  identifiable  intangible
assets, including patents and technology ($9,000,000), trademarks and tradenames
($96,000,000)   and   customer   relationships    ($108,000,000),    aggregating
$213,000,000,  which will be amortized over periods from 5 to 40 years. Goodwill
associated with the Linvatec acquisition  approximated  $89,300,000 and is being
amortized on a straight-line basis over a 40-year period. In connection with the

<PAGE>
Linvatec  acquisition,  the Company increased the acquired value of inventory by
$3,000,000 over its production  cost. This inventory was sold during the quarter
ended  March  1998 and,  accordingly  this  non-recurring  adjustment  served to
increase cost of sales during 1998 by $3,000,000. Additionally, a portion of the
purchase price was allocated to purchased  in-process  research


                                      F-9
<PAGE>
and development ("R&D"). Purchased in-process R&D includes the value of products
in the  development  stage  and not  considered  to have  reached  technological
feasibility.   In  accordance  with  applicable   accounting  rules,   purchased
in-process  R&D is  required to be  expensed.  Accordingly,  $34,000,000  of the
acquisition  cost was  expensed  on December  31,  1997.  The value  assigned to
purchased  in-process  R&D,  based on a  valuation  prepared  by an  independent
third-party  appraisal company,  was determined by identifying research projects
in areas for which technological feasibility had not been established, including
arthroscopic    resection   and   procedure   specific   surgical    instruments
($10,112,000),  imaging  technology for minimally  invasive surgical  procedures
($11,706,000),  specialty  surgical powered  instruments  ($8,386,000) and other
($3,796,000).  The value was  determined by estimating  the costs to develop the
purchased  in-process  technology into commercially viable products,  estimating
the resulting net cash flows from such projects,  and  discounting  the net cash
flows back to their  present  value using a discount rate of 13%. At the date of
acquisition,  remaining  costs to complete  these  projects  were  $162,000  for
arthroscopic resection and procedure specific,  $281,000 for imaging technology,
$424,000  for  specialty  surgical  powered  instruments  and $840,000 for other
projects. During 1998, these projects were either completed or abandoned.  These
projects  ranged from 60% to 90% complete at the date of  acquisition.  Costs to
complete these projects consist primarily of direct salaries and wages. Revenues
from certain of these projects began in 1998.

         During 1998, goodwill for the Davol and Linvatec acquisitions increased
by $1.7 million and $28.9 million,  respectively.  The Davol  increase  reflects
severance ($1.2 million) and other costs associated with the 1998 closure of the
former  Davol  manufacturing   operation  located  in  Kansas.  The  significant
components  of the increase in Linvatec  goodwill  include the  finalization  of
unfunded  employee  benefit  obligations  assumed at the acquisition  date ($7.5
million),  payments for investment banking fees and professional fees related to
the acquisition  ($6.3  million),  payments and the writedown of fixed assets in
connection with the closure of Linvatec's San Dimas,  California  facility which
was  completed in 1998 ($4.0  million),  and  payments  and accruals  related to
contingent liabilities assumed with the acquisition ($4.5 million).

         On November 16,  1998,  the Company  acquired the assets  related to an
arthroscopy  product line from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing  Company for a
purchase price of $17,500,000 (the "Arthroscopy  acquisition")  which was funded
through borrowings under the Company's  revolving credit facility (Note 5). This
acquisition  is being  accounted for using the purchase  method.  The results of
operations of the acquired product line are included in the consolidated results
of the  Company  from  the date of  acquisition.  Goodwill  associated  with the
acquisition is being amortized on a straight-line basis over a 40-year period.

         On June 29, 1999, the Company agreed to purchase  certain assets of the
powered  surgical  instrument  business of  Minnesota  Mining and  Manufacturing
Company (the  "Powered  Instrument  acquisition").  The Company also agreed to a
series of transition-related  matters in order to facilitate the transfer of the
business.  The acquisition was completed on August 11, 1999 for a purchase price
of $39,000,000,  before certain adjustments, which was funded through borrowings
under the Company's  amended credit facility (Note 5). This acquisition is being
accounted  for using the  purchase  method.  The  results of  operations  of the
acquired  business are included in the consolidated  results of the Company from
the date of  acquisition.  Goodwill  associated  with the  acquisition  is being
amortized on a straight-line basis over a 40-year period. In connection with the
Powered  Instrument  acquisition,  the Company  increased the acquired  value of
inventory  by  $1,600,000.  This  inventory  was sold during the  quarter  ended
September 1999 resulting in a non-recurring adjustment to increase cost of sales
during 1999 by $1,600,000.

         The  allocation  of the  purchase  price  for  the  Powered  Instrument
acquisition is based on management's  preliminary estimates. It is possible that


                                      F-10
<PAGE>
re-allocation  will be required as  additional  information  becomes  available.
Management does not believe that such  reallocations will have a material effect
on the Company's financial position or results of operations.

         On an unaudited pro forma basis,  assuming the  completed  acquisitions
had occurred as of the  beginning  of the periods  presented,  the  consolidated
results of the  Company  would have been as follows  (in  thousands,  except per
share amounts):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     Year Ended December
                                                                                   -------------------------
                                                                                      1998            1999
                                                                                   --------         --------
<S>                                                                                <C>              <C>
     Pro forma net sales..................................................         $365,192         $385,117
                                                                                   ========         ========

     Pro forma income  before extraordinary item..........................          $20,628          $27,472
                                                                                    =======          =======

     Pro forma income per share before extraordinary item:

         Basic............................................................          $  1.37          $  1.80
                                                                                    =======          =======

         Diluted..........................................................          $  1.35          $  1.78
                                                                                    =======          =======
</TABLE>


         The unaudited pro forma  financial  information  presented  above gives
effect to purchase accounting adjustments which have resulted or are expected to
result from the  acquisitions.  This pro forma  information  is not  necessarily
indicative  of the  results  that  would  actually  have been  obtained  had the
companies been combined for the periods presented.

                                      F-11
<PAGE>
Note 3 -- Inventories

         The components of inventory are as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      1998                1999
                                                     -------             -------
<S>                                                  <C>                 <C>
Raw materials ..........................             $35,204             $35,651

Work in process ........................               7,429               9,803

Finished goods .........................              35,425              44,227
                                                     -------             -------

                                                     $78,058             $89,681
                                                     =======             =======
</TABLE>
Note 4 -- Property, Plant and Equipment

         Details of property, plant and equipment are as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           1998           1999
                                                        --------       --------
<S>                                                     <C>            <C>
Land and improvements ............................      $  2,011       $  1,511

Building and improvements ........................        27,966         25,955

Machinery and equipment ..........................        57,801         60,231

Construction in progress .........................         2,416          4,643
                                                        --------       --------

                                                          90,194         92,340

             Less:  Accumulated depreciation .....       (29,407)       (34,506)
                                                        --------       --------

                                                        $ 60,787       $ 57,834
                                                        ========       ========
</TABLE>
                                      F-12
<PAGE>
         Rental  expense  on  operating  leases  was   approximately   $489,000,
$2,650,000 and $2,935,000 for the years ended December 31, 1997,  1998 and 1999,
respectively.  The  aggregate  future  minimum lease  commitments  for operating
leases at December 31, 1999 are as follows:

                        Year ending December 31 (in thousands):

                  2000.....................................        $ 3,388
                  2001.....................................          3,171
                  2002.....................................          2,478
                  2003.....................................          2,280
                  2004.....................................          2,254
                  Thereafter...............................         10,725


Note 5 -- Long Term Debt

         On December 30, 1997, in connection with the Linvatec acquisition (Note
2), the Company entered into a credit agreement with several banks providing for
a $450,000,000  credit  facility.  On August 11, 1999, the  $450,000,000  credit
facility was amended in connection with the Powered Instrument acquisition (Note
2) to provide for an additional  $40,000,000.  The amended  $490,000,000  credit
facility is comprised of four sub-facilities:  (i) a $210,000,000 five-year term
loan with quarterly principal  repayments;  (ii) a $140,000,000  seven-year term
loan with quarterly principal repayments; (iii) a $40,000,000 six-year term loan
with quarterly principal  repayments;  and (iv) a $100,000,000  revolving credit
facility. The revolving credit facility expires on December 30, 2002. During the
commitment  period,  the Company is obligated to pay a fee of .375% per annum on
the unused portion of the revolving credit facility. A covenant under the credit
facility  required the Company to complete a senior  subordinated note offering,
which was  completed in March 1998 with the net proceeds of  $126,100,000  being
used to reduce the term loans under the credit facility. Deferred financing fees
related  to the  portion  of the  term  loans  repaid  amounting  to  $2,451,000
($1,569,000  net  of  income  taxes)  were  written  off  in  March  1998  as an
extraordinary item.

         As of December 31, 1998, the Company had $127,733,000,  $89,139,000 and
$38,000,000  outstanding under the five-year term loan, the seven-year term loan
and the revolving  credit facility,  respectively.  As of December 31, 1999, the
Company had $105,380,000,  $88,497,000,  $39,925,000 and $30,000,000 outstanding
under the five-year term loan, the seven-year  term loan, the six year term loan
and the revolving credit facility, respectively. The borrowings under the credit
facility  carry  interest  rates based on a spread over LIBOR or an  alternative
base interest  rate. The covenants of the credit  facility  provide for increase
and decrease to this interest rate spread based on the operating  results of the
Company. Additionally, certain events of default under the credit facility limit



                                      F-13
<PAGE>
interest rate options  available to the Company.  The weighted  average interest
rates at December 31, 1998 under the five-year term loan,  the  seven-year  term
loan  and  the  revolving   credit   facility  were  7.19%,   7.46%  and  7.39%,
respectively. The weighted average interest rates at December 31, 1999 under the
five-year term loan,  the  seven-year  term loan, the six year term loan and the
revolving credit facility, were 7.65%, 8.15%, 8.59% and 7.45%, respectively. The
Company has entered  into two  interest  rate swaps  expiring in June 2001 which
convert $100 million of floating rate debt under the Company's  credit  facility
into fixed rate debt at rates ranging from 7.18% to 8.25%.  Provisions in one of
the interest rate swaps cancels such agreement when LIBOR exceeds 7.35%.

         The term debt and revolving credit facility are  collateralized  by all
the  Company's   personal   property.   The  agreement  contains  covenants  and
restrictions  which, among other things,  require maintenance of certain working
capital levels and financial ratios, prohibit dividend payments and restrict the
incurrence of certain indebtedness and other activities,  including acquisitions
and  dispositions.  The Company is also required to make  mandatory  prepayments
from net cash  proceeds  from any issue of equity  and  asset  sales.  Mandatory
prepayments are to be applied first to the prepayment of the term loans and then
to reduce borrowings under the revolving credit facility.

         As discussed above, in March 1998 the Company issued $130,000,000 of 9%
Senior  Subordinated  Notes (the  "Notes").  The Notes mature on March 15, 2008,
unless  previously  redeemed  by the  Company.  Interest on the Notes is payable
semi-annually  on  March  15 and  September  15 of  each  year.  The  Notes  are
redeemable  for cash at anytime on or after March 15, 2003, at the option of the
Company,  in whole or in part, at the redemption prices set forth therein,  plus
accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption. In addition, on or before
March  15,  2001,  the  Company  may,  at its  option,  redeem  up to 35% of the
aggregate  principal amount of the Notes originally issued with the net proceeds
of one or more offerings of common stock of the Company for cash at a redemption
price of 109% of the principal  amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid  interest
to the date of redemption; provided that at least 65% of the aggregate principal
amount  of the  Notes  remain  outstanding  after  giving  effect  to  any  such
redemption.

         The scheduled  maturities of long-term debt outstanding at December 31,
1999  are as  follows:  2000  --  $32,875,000;  2001  --  $36,107,000;  2002  --
$69,298,000;   2003  --  $42,018,000;   2004  --   $45,223,000;   thereafter  --
$169,148,000.

         The credit facility  (including the term loans and the revolving credit
facility) is guaranteed on a  collateralized  basis, and the credit facility and
the  Notes  are  guaranteed  (the  "Subsidiary  Guarantees")  by  the  Company's
subsidiaries (the "Subsidiary  Guarantors").  The Subsidiary  Guarantees provide
that each  Subsidiary  Guarantor  will fully and  unconditionally  guarantee the
Company's  obligations  under the credit  facility  and the Notes on a joint and
several basis. Each Subsidiary Guarantor is wholly-owned by the Company.

                                      F-14
<PAGE>
         Separate  financial  statements  and other  disclosures  concerning the
Subsidiary  Guarantors are not presented because  management has determined such
financial  statements and other  disclosures are not material to investors.  The
combined condensed financial  information of the Company's Subsidiary Guarantors
is as follows (in thousands):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            December 31,
                                                     --------------------------
                                                       1998               1999
                                                     --------           --------
<S>                                                  <C>                <C>
Current assets ...........................           $ 96,434           $117,541

Non-current assets .......................            359,499            385,363

Current liabilities ......................             30,367             21,921

Non-current liabilities ..................            354,063            355,012

<CAPTION>
                                                Year Ended December
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                         1997            1998            1999
<S>                                    <C>              <C>             <C>
Revenues ......................        $ 51,376         $239,491        $289,729

Operating income (loss) .......         (16,452)          45,529          63,028

Net income (loss) .............         (10,529)           7,639          19,525

</TABLE>
                                      F-15
<PAGE>
Note 6 -- Income Taxes

         The  provision   for  income  taxes   consists  of  the  following  (in
thousands):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               1997        1998         1999
                                             --------     --------     --------
<S>                                          <C>           <C>          <C>
Current tax expense:
    Federal ............................     $  6,677      $  1,652     $  5,027
    State ..............................          492           258          350
    Foreign ............................           --           210          922
                                             --------     --------     --------
                                                7,169        2,120        6,299

Deferred income tax expense (benefit) ..      (10,809)        8,779        8,978
                                             --------     --------     --------

    Provision (benefit) for income taxes     $ (3,640)     $ 10,899     $ 15,277
                                             ========     ========     ========

</TABLE>

         A reconciliation between income taxes computed at the statutory federal
rate and the provision for income taxes follows (in thousands):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              1997         1998          1999
                                                           --------      --------      --------
<S>                                                        <C>           <C>           <C>
Tax provision at statutory rate based on income before
    income taxes and extraordinary item ..............     $ (3,747)     $ 10,597      $ 14,853

Foreign sales corporation ............................         (300)         (313)         (543)

State taxes ..........................................          313           165           257

Nondeductible intangible amortization ................          224           243           320

Other, net ...........................................         (130)          207           390
                                                           --------      --------      --------

                                                           $ (3,640)     $ 10,899      $ 15,277
                                                           ========      ========      ========
</TABLE>
                                      F-16
<PAGE>
         The tax effects of the significant temporary differences which comprise
the  deferred  tax assets and  liabilities  at December 31, 1998 and 1999 are as
follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           1998           1999
                                                          -------       -------
<S>                                                       <C>           <C>
Assets:
     Receivables ...................................      $   290       $   135
     Inventory .....................................        1,002           330
     Deferred compensation .........................          511           597
     Employee benefits .............................          181           794
     Other .........................................        1,056         1,761
     Leases ........................................          373           172
     Goodwill and intangible assets ................        4,400          --
     Birtcher net operating losses .................        4,681         4,258
     Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets ...       (4,681)       (4,258)
                                                          -------       -------
                                                            7,813         3,789
                                                          -------       -------
Liabilities:
     Goodwill and intangible assets ................         --           4,051
     Depreciation ..................................        1,044         1,500
     Other
                                                               93           115
                                                          -------       -------
                                                            1,137         5,666
                                                          -------       -------
Net asset (liability) ..............................      $ 6,676       $(1,877)
                                                          =======       =======

</TABLE>

         Net operating losses of the Company's  Birtcher  Medical Systems,  Inc.
acquisition  are subject to certain  limitations and expire over the period 2008
to 2010.  Management  has  established  a valuation  allowance of  $4,258,000 to
reflect  the   uncertainty   of  realizing  the  benefit  of  certain  of  these
carryforwards.

Note 7 -- Shareholders' Equity

         The shareholders have authorized 500,000 shares of preferred stock, par
value $.01 per share,  which may be issued in one or more series by the Board of
Directors without further action by the  shareholders.  As of December 31, 1999,
no preferred stock had been issued.

         In  connection  with the  Linvatec  acquisition  (Note 2), the  Company
issued to  Bristol-Myers  Squibb  Company a  ten-year  warrant to  purchase  1.0
million shares of the Company's common stock at a price of $34.23 per share.

         During 1997, the Company was authorized to repurchase up to $30,000,000
of its common stock in the open market or in private  transactions.  The Company
repurchased  25,000  shares of  common  stock in 1997 at an  aggregate  price of
$419,000.  The Company's credit agreement (Note 5) prohibits future  repurchases
of common stock during its term.


                                      F-17
<PAGE>
         The  Company  has  reserved  shares of common  stock  for  issuance  to
employees and directors under four Stock Option Plans (the "Plans").  The option
price on all outstanding  options is equal to the estimated fair market value of
the stock at the date of grant. Stock options are non-transferable other than on
death and  generally  become  exercisable  over a five year  period from date of
grant and expire ten years from date of grant.

         The following is a summary of incentive stock option activity under the
Plans (in thousands, except per share amounts):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           Weighted-
                                                         Number            Average
                                                            of             Exercise
                                                          Shares             Price
                                                          ------            -------
<S>                                                        <C>            <C>
      Outstanding at December 1996 ..............          1,135          $   13.92
           Granted during 1997 ..................            153              22.99
           Forfeited ............................            (10)             10.09
           Exercised ............................            (73)              9.01
                                                          ------            -------

      Outstanding at December 1997 ..............          1,205              15.39
           Granted during 1998 ..................            509              23.64
           Forfeited ............................            (93)             24.44
           Exercised ............................           (121)              8.99
                                                          ------            -------

      Outstanding at December 1998 ..............          1,500              17.90
           Granted during 1999 ..................            401              29.62
           Forfeited ............................             (9)             22.91
           Exercised ............................           (121)             13.32
                                                          ------            -------

      Outstanding at December 1999 ..............          1,771            $ 20.94
                                                          ======            ======

     Exercisable:
           December 1997 ........................            690          $   11.51
           December 1998 ........................            856              14.24
           December 1999 ........................            945              16.33
</TABLE>

         At December  31, 1999,  the number of stock  options  outstanding  with
exercise  prices less than $10,  between $10 and $20,  and greater than $20 were
112,000,  535,000 and 1,124,000,  respectively.  The weighted  average price per
share and remaining life for options in these categories were $5.45 and 2 years,
$12.74 and 4 years, and $26.41 and 8 years,  respectively.  The number of shares
exercisable  at December  31, 1999 and the related  weighted  average  price per
share for options in these  categories  were  112,000  shares at $5.45,  476,000
shares at $12.29 and 357,000 shares at $25.13, respectively.


                                      F-18
<PAGE>
         SFAS No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation." defines a fair
value  based  method  of  accounting   for  an  employee  stock  option  whereby
compensation  cost is  measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the
award and is recognized  over the service  period.  A company may elect to adopt
SFAS No. 123 or elect to  continue  accounting  for its stock  option or similar
equity awards using the method of accounting prescribed by Accounting Principles
Board Opinion ("APB") No. 25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees",  where
compensation  cost is  measured  at the date of grant based on the excess of the
market value of the underlying  stock over the exercise  price.  The Company has
elected to continue to account for its stock-based  compensation plans under the
provisions  of APB No. 25. No  compensation  expense has been  recognized in the
accompanying financial statements relative to the Company's stock option plans.

         Pro forma information regarding net income (loss) and net income (loss)
per share is required by SFAS No. 123 and has been  determined as if the Company
had accounted for its employee stock options under the fair value method of that
statement.  The weighted average fair value of options granted in 1997, 1998 and
1999 was  $11.87,  $11.57  and  $13.28,  respectively.  The fair  value of these
options was estimated at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes options pricing
model with the following  weighted-average  assumptions  for options  granted in
1997, 1998 and 1999, respectively:  Risk-free interest rates of 5.96%, 5.41% and
6.46%;  volatility  factors of the expected market price of the Company's common
stock of 51.31%,  48.72% and 39.23%;  a  weighted-average  expected  life of the
option of five years; and that no dividends would be paid on common stock.

         For purposes of the pro forma disclosures,  the estimated fair value of
the options is  amortized  to expense  over the  options'  vesting  period.  The
Company's pro forma information  follows (in thousands,  except for earnings per
share information):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             1997           1998            1999
                                          ---------      ----------     ----------
<S>                                       <C>            <C>            <C>
Net income (loss)-- as reported ..        $  (7,065)     $   17,808     $   27,159
Net income (loss)-- pro forma ....           (7,427)         15,420         24,678
EPS-- as reported:
     Basic .......................            (0.47)           1.18           1.78
     Diluted .....................            (0.47)           1.16           1.76

EPS-- pro forma:
     Basic .......................            (0.50)           1.02           1.62


     Diluted .....................            (0.50)           1.01           1.60
</TABLE>

         The pro-forma disclosures include only options granted after January 1,
1995.

Note 8 -- Business Segments, Geographic Areas and Major Customers

         CONMED's  business is organized,  managed and internally  reported as a
single segment comprised of medical instruments and systems used in surgical and
other medical  procedures.  The Company  believes its various product lines have
similar economic, operating and other related characteristics.


                                      F-19
<PAGE>
The following is net sales information for geographic areas (in thousands):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       1997              1998             1999
                                    ---------         ---------        ---------
<S>                                 <C>               <C>              <C>
  United States                     $ 118,673         $ 266,668        $ 281,439
  All other countries                  19,597            69,774           91,178
                                     ---------         ---------        ---------

  Total                             $ 138,270         $ 336,442        $ 372,617
                                    =========         =========        =========

</TABLE>
There were no significant  investments in long-lived  assets located outside the
United States at December 31, 1998 and 1999.

         The Company uses medical  supply  distributors  to  distribute  certain
products  to their end  users.  Sales to one  distributor  totaled  15.3% of the
Company's sales in 1997. In 1998 and 1999, no single customer  accounted for 10%
or more of the Company's sales.

Note 9 -- Pension Plans

         The Company maintains defined benefit plans covering  substantially all
employees.  The Company  makes  annual  contributions  to the plans equal to the
maximum deduction allowed for federal income tax purposes.

         Net  pension  cost  for  1997,  1998 and 1999  included  the  following
components (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        1997        1998        1999
                                                     -------      -------      -------
<S>                                                  <C>          <C>          <C>
Service cost-- benefits earned during the period     $   925      $ 2,324      $ 2,592
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation ..         436        1,143        1,349
Expected return on plan assets .................        (395)      (1,046)      (1,090)
Net amortization and deferral ..................          44           27           41

                                                     -------      -------      -------
Net pension cost ...............................     $ 1,010      $ 2,448      $ 2,892
                                                     =======      =======      =======
</TABLE>
                                      F-20

<PAGE>
         The  following  table sets forth the plan's  funded  status and amounts
recognized in the Company's consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 1998 and
1999 (in thousands):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                            1998          1999
                                                         --------      --------
<S>                                                      <C>           <C>
Change in benefit obligation

Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year ..     $ 17,050      $ 19,536
Service cost .......................................        2,324         2,592
Interest cost ......................................        1,143         1,349
Actuarial loss (gain) ..............................         (195)         (228)
Benefits paid ......................................         (786)       (3,512)
                                                         --------      --------
Projected benefit obligation at end of year ........     $ 19,536      $ 19,737
                                                         --------      --------

Change in plan assets

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year .....     $ 13,514      $ 13,501
Actual return on plan assets .......................          773         1,507
Employer contribution ..............................         --           1,263
Benefits paid ......................................         (786)       (3,512)
                                                         --------      --------


Fair value of plan assets at end of year ...........     $ 13,501      $ 12,759
                                                         --------      --------
Change in funded status
Funded status ......................................     $  6,035      $  6,978
Unrecognized net actuarial loss ....................         (872)         (200)
Unrecognized transition liability ..................          (68)          (64)
Unrecognized prior service cost ....................         (173)         (162)
                                                         --------      --------
Accrued pension cost ...............................     $  4,922      $  6,552
                                                         --------      --------
</TABLE>
         For 1997, 1998 and 1999 actuarial  calculation  purposes,  the weighted
average  discount rate was 7.0%,  the expected long term rate of return was 8.0%
and the rate of increase in future compensation levels was 4.0%.

Note 10 -- Legal Matters

         From time to time, the Company has been named as a defendant in certain
lawsuits  alleging  product  liability or other claims  incurred in the ordinary
course of business.  These  claims are  generally  covered by various  insurance
policies,  subject to deductible  amounts and maximum  policy  limits.  Ultimate
liability with respect to these  contingencies,  if any, is not considered to be
material to the consolidated financial statements of the Company.


                                      F-21
<PAGE>
Note 11 -- Unusual and Nonrecurring Items

         The unusual  items for the year ended  December 31, 1997 consist of the
following (in thousands):


                Write-off of purchased in-process R&D (Note 2)  ...   $34,000
                Facility consolidations............................     2,328
                Write-off of deferred financing costs..............       914
                                                                      --------
                                                                      $37,242
                                                                       =======

         During the first  quarter  of 1997,  the  company  recorded a charge of
$2,328,000  related to the closure of the Company's Dayton,  Ohio  manufacturing
facility.  Operations of the Dayton  facility were  transferred to the Company's
Utica and Rome,  New York  facilities.  The  components of the charge  consisted
primarily of costs associated with employee  severance and termination,  and the
impairment  of the  carrying  value of fixed  assets.  Additionally,  during the
fourth  quarter of 1997,  the Company wrote off $914,000 in previously  existing
deferred  financing fees as a result of entering into a new credit  agreement on
December 30, 1997 in connection with the Linvatec  acquisition  (Note 2 and Note
5).

         During the fourth quarter of 1999,  the Company  recognized the benefit
amounting to  $1,256,000  related to a previously  recorded  litigation  accrual
which  was  settled  on   favorable   terms  and  is  included  in  selling  and
administrative expense.

Note 12 -- Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)

         Selected quarterly  financial data for 1998 and 1999 are as follows (in
thousands, except per share amounts):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                 Three Months Ended
                                                 ------------------
                                   March        June      September     December
                                   -----        ----      ---------     --------
<S>                               <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
1998
Net sales ..................      $80,242      $80,513      $85,714      $89,973
Gross profit ...............       35,860       39,639       44,593       46,751
Net income .................          882        4,547        5,921        6,458
Earnings per share:
   Basic ...................         0.06         0.30         0.39         0.43
   Diluted .................         0.06         0.30         0.39         0.42

                                                 Three Months Ended
                                                 ------------------
                                   March        June      September     December
                                   -----        ----      ---------     --------
<S>                               <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
1999
Net sales ..................      $90,869      $90,483      $91,712      $99,553
Gross profit ...............       47,327       47,658       46,676       52,476
Net income .................        6,323        6,690        5,613        8,533
Earnings per share:
   Basic ...................         0.42         0.44         0.37         0.56
   Diluted .................         0.41         0.43         0.36        0.55
</TABLE>
                                      F-22
<PAGE>
As discussed in Note 5, the Company  recorded an  extraordinary  charge in March
1998 related to the write-off of deferred  financing  fees of $1,569,000  net of
income taxes.  Additionally,  as discussed in Note 2, the Company  increased the
acquired value of inventory in connection  with the Linvatec  acquisition  which
resulted in a  non-recurring  adjustment  to increase  cost of sales  during the
quarter  ended March 1998 by  $3,000,000.  As  discussed  in Note 2, the Company
increased  the  acquired  value of  inventory  in  connection  with the  Powered
Instrument acquisition which resulted in a non-recurring  adjustment to increase
cost of  sales  during  the  quarter  ended  September  1999 by  $1,600,000.  As
discussed in Note 11, the Company recorded a nonrecurring  benefit of $1,256,000
in the fourth quarter of 1999.

                                      F-23
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                  SCHEDULE VIII--Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
                                                   (in thousands)

                                                             Column C
                                                     --------------------------
                                                             Additions
                                                     --------------------------
                                     Column B            (1)          (2)
                                   ------------                                                         Column E
          Column A                 Balance at       Charged to      Charged to        Column D       --------------
        ------------               Beginning of      Costs and       Other           ---------      Balance at End
         Description                  Period          Expenses       Accounts        Deductions         of Period
         -----------                  ------          --------       --------        ----------         ---------

<S>                                   <C>               <C>        <C>               <C>                 <C>
1999
   Allowance for bad debts..          $ 2,213           $ 263                        $ (1,042)           $1,434
   Inventory reserves.......          $ 6,618           $ 220      $ 1,500           $ (1,163)           $7,175
   Deferred tax asset
   Valuation allowance......          $4,681                                         $   (423)           $4,258

1998
   Allowance for bad debts..          $ 2,708           $459                         $   (954)           $2,213
   Inventory reserves.......          $ 7,411           $918         $ (61)          $ (1,650)           $6,618
   Deferred tax asset
   Valuation allowance......          $5,105                                         $   (424)           $4,681


1997
   Allowance for bad debts..           $ 500            $887         $1,808          $   (487)          $ 2,708
   Inventory reserves.......           $ 462            $277         $6,672                             $ 7,411
   Deferred tax asset
   valuation allowance......          $5,417                                         $   (312)           $5,105

</TABLE>


                                      F-24

                                                                     EXHIBIT 3.1

                      RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

                                       OF

                               CONMED CORPORATION

                Under Section 807 of the Business Corporation Law


                  FIRST. The name of the corporation is CONMED  Corporation (the
"Corporation").

                  SECOND.  The  purpose of the  Corporation  is to engage in any
lawful  act or  activity  for  which  corporations  may be  organized  under the
Business  Corporation  Law of the State of New York but not to engage in any act
or activity requiring the consent or approval of any State official, department,
board,  agency or other body  without  such  consent  or  approval  first  being
obtained.

                  THIRD.  The office of the Corporation in the State of New York
is to be located in the City of
Utica, County of Oneida.

                  FOURTH.  The  aggregate  number of  shares of stock  which the
Corporation  shall  have the  authority  to issue is  100,500,000,  of which the
Corporation  shall have the  authority  to issue  100,000,000  shares of the par
value of $.01 per share shall be  designated as Common Stock  ("Common  Stock"),
and  500,000  shares of the par value of $.01 per share shall be  designated  as
Preferred Stock ("Preferred Stock").

                  The relative rights, preferences and limitations of the shares
of such classes of stock are as follows:

                  1. The Preferred  Stock may be issued from time to time by the
         Board of Directors as shares of one or more series of Preferred  Stock,
         and the Board of Directors is expressly authorized,  prior to issuance,
         in the resolution or  resolutions  providing for the issue of shares of
         each  particular  series,  to establish and designate  each  particular
         series  and to fix the  rights,  preferences  and  limitations  of each
         particular series, and the relative rights, preferences and limitations
         between series, as follows:

                           (a) The distinctive serial designation of such series
                  which shall distinguish it from other series;
                           (b) The  number of shares  included  in such  series,
                  which number may be  increased or decreased  from time to time
                  unless  otherwise  provided  by  the  Board  of  Directors  in
                  creating such series;
                           (c) The  annual or other  dividend  rate or rates (or
                  method of  determining  such rate or rates) for shares of such
                  series and the date or dates upon which such  dividends  shall
                  be payable;
                           (d)  Whether  dividends  on the shares of such series
                  shall be cumulative,  and, in the case of shares of any series
                  having  cumulative  dividend
<PAGE>
                  rights,  the date or dates (or method of determining such date
                  or dates)  from which  dividends  on the shares of such series
                  shall be cumulative;
                           (e) The amount or amounts  which shall be paid out of
                  the assets of the  Corporation to the holders of the shares of
                  such  series  upon  voluntary  or   involuntary   liquidation,
                  dissolution, or winding up of the Corporation;
                           (f) The price or prices (cash or otherwise) at which,
                  the  period  or  periods   within  which  and  the  terms  and
                  conditions  upon  which  the  shares  of  such  series  may be
                  purchased, redeemed or acquired (by exchange or otherwise), in
                  whole or in part, at the option of the Corporation;
                           (g)  Provision  or   provisions,   if  any,  for  the
                  Corporation  to  purchase,  redeem or acquire (by  exchange or
                  otherwise),  in  whole  or in  part,  shares  of  such  series
                  pursuant to a sinking or other similar fund,  and the price or
                  prices  (cash or  otherwise)  at which,  the second  period or
                  periods within which and the terms and  conditions  upon which
                  the shares of such  series  shall be  purchased,  redeemed  or
                  acquired,  in whole or in part,  pursuant to such provision or
                  provisions;
                           (h) The period or periods  within which and the terms
                  and conditions,  if any,  including the price or prices or the
                  rate or rates of  conversion  or  exchange  and the  terms and
                  conditions of any adjustments  thereof,  upon which the shares
                  of such series shall be  convertible  or  exchangeable  at the
                  option of the holder into shares of any class of stock or into
                  shares of any other  series of  Preferred  Stock,  except into
                  shares  having  rights or  preferences  as to dividends or the
                  distribution  of  assets  upon  liquidation,   dissolution  or
                  winding up of the  Corporation  which are prior or superior in
                  rank to those of the shares being converted or exchanged;
                           (i) The voting rights,  if any, of the shares of such
                  series in addition to those  required  by law,  including  the
                  number of votes per share and any requirement for the approval
                  by the  holders  of up to 66 2/3% of all  shares of  Preferred
                  Stock, or of the shares of one or more series,  or of both, as
                  a condition to specified corporate action or amendments to the
                  Certificate of Incorporation;
                           (j)  Any  other  relative   rights,   preferences  or
                  limitations  of the  shares of such  series  not  inconsistent
                  herewith or with applicable law.

                  2. All issued and  outstanding  Preferred Stock (a) shall rank
         prior or  superior  to the  Common  Stock in  respect  of the  right to
         receive  dividends and the right to receive  payments out of the assets
         of  the   Corporation   upon  voluntary  or  involuntary   liquidation,
         dissolution  or  winding up of the  Corporation,  (b) shall be of equal
         rank,  regardless of series, and (c) shall be identical in all respects
         except as provided in paragraph 1 of this Article FOURTH. The shares of
         any  particular  series of the Preferred  Stock shall be identical with
         each other in all respects  except as to the dates from and after which
         dividends thereon shall be cumulative.  In case the stated dividends or
         the amounts  payable on liquidation are not paid in full, the shares of
         all series of the Preferred Stock shall share ratably in the payment of
         dividends, including accumulations, if any, in accordance with the sums
<PAGE>
         which would be payable on such shares if all  dividends  were  declared
         and paid in full, and in any  distribution  of assets other than by way
         of dividends in accordance with the sums which would be payable on such
         distributions  if  all  sums  payable  were  discharged  in  full.  All
         Preferred  Stock  redeemed,  purchased  or  otherwise  acquired  by the
         Corporation (including shares surrendered for conversion or exchange or
         acquired by exchange or  otherwise)  shall be cancelled  and  thereupon
         restored to the status of authorized  but unissued  shares of Preferred
         Stock undesignated as to series.

                  3. No holder of Common  Stock or of  Preferred  Stock shall be
         entitled as a matter of right to subscribe for, purchase or receive, or
         have any preferential or pre-emptive right with respect to, any part of
         any new or additional issue of stock of any class or series whatsoever,
         or any options or warrants  for such stock,  or any rights to subscribe
         for or  purchase  such  stock,  or of  securities  convertible  into or
         exchangeable for any stock of any class or series  whatsoever,  whether
         now or  hereafter  authorized  and  whether  issued  for  cash or other
         consideration or by way of dividend or otherwise.

                  4.  Except  as may from  time to time be  required  by law and
         except  as  otherwise  may be  provided  by the Board of  Directors  in
         accordance  with  paragraph 1 of this Article  FOURTH in respect of any
         particular  series  of  Preferred  Stock,  all  voting  rights  of  the
         Corporation  shall be vested  exclusively  in the holders of the Common
         Stock who shall be entitled to one vote per share on all matters.

                  FIFTH.  The  Secretary  of State  of the  State of New York is
designated  as agent of the  Corporation  upon  whom  process  in any  action or
proceeding against it may be served. The address to which the Secretary of State
shall mail a copy of any process against the Corporation  served upon him is c/o
Eugene R. Corasanti, 310 Broad Street, Utica, New York 13501.

                  SIXTH.  By-laws of the Corporation may be adopted,  amended or
repealed by the Board of Directors of the  Corporation by the vote of a majority
of the directors present at a meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present.

                  IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  we have  subscribed  and affirm as true
under the penalties of perjury this Restated  Certificate of Incorporation  this
28th day of July, 1983.

/s/ Eugene R. Corasanti                              /s/ Robert E. Remmell
- -----------------------                             ----------------------
Eugene R. Corasanti                                  Robert E. Remmell
President                                            Assistant Secretary
310 Broad Street                                     185 Genesee Street
Utica, New York  13501                               Utica, New York  13501


                                                                     EXHIBIT 3.2

                                  AMENDMENT TO

                          CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

                                       OF

                               CONMED CORPORATION

                Under Section 805 of the Business Corporation Law

                  The  undersigned,  being the  President  and the  Secretary of
CONMED Corporation, a New York corporation, hereby certify that:

                  FIRST. The name of the corporation is CONMED Corporation,  and
the name under which it was formed was Concor Enterprises, Inc.

                  SECOND.  The certificate of  incorporation  of the corporation
was filed with the Department of State on February 10, 1970.

                  THIRD. The certificate of incorporation is amended to increase
the  number  of  common  shares  of the par  value of $.01 per  share  which the
corporation has authority to issue from 40,000,000 shares of common stock of the
par value of $.01 per  share to  100,000,000  shares of common  stock of the par
value of $.01 per share.  To effect such change,  the first paragraph of Article
FOURTH of the certificate of incorporation is hereby amended to read as follows:

                  "FOURTH.  The  aggregate  number of shares of stock  which the
Corporation  shall  have  the  authority  to  issue  is  100,500,000,  of  which
100,000,000  shares of the par value of $.01 per share  shall be  designated  as
Common Stock ("Common  Stock"),  and 500,000 shares of the par value of $.01 per
share shall be designated as Preferred Stock ("Preferred Stock")."

                  FOURTH:   The  foregoing   amendment  of  the  certificate  of
incorporation  was authorized by the Board of Directors of the  corporation at a
meeting duly called and held on March 3, 1999, followed by the favorable vote of
the holders of a majority of all outstanding  shares entitled to vote thereon at
a meeting of shareholders duly called and held on May 18, 1999.

                  IN  WITNESS   WHEREOF,   the  undersigned   have  signed  this
certificate of amendment of the certificate of incorporation on May 19, 1999 and
affirm the statements contained herein as true under the penalties of perjury.


                                                 By    /s/ Eugene R. Corasanti
                                                       -----------------------
                                                       Eugene R. Corasanti
                                                       President

                                                 By    /s/ Thomas M. Acey
                                                       ------------------
                                                       Thomas M. Acey
                                                       Secretary



                                   EXHIBIT 11

                               CONMED Corporation

        Computation of Weighted Average Number of Shares of Common Stock

                              Year Ended December,

                                 (in thousands)

                                                     1997       1998       1999
                                                    ------     ------     ------
Shares outstanding at beginning of period .....     14,989     15,062     15,183
Weighted average shares issued ................          8         23         58
                                                    ------     ------     ------

Shares used in the calculation of basic EPS
     (weighted average shares outstanding) ....     14,997     15,085     15,241

Effect of dilutive potential securities .......       --          236        189
                                                    ------     ------     ------

Shares used in the calculation of diluted EPS .     14,997     15,321     15,430
                                                    ======     ======     ======



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            EXHIBIT 12


                                         CONMED Corporation
                Statement Showing Computations of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges





                                            1995        1996         1997          1998         1999
                                         --------     --------     --------      --------     --------
<S>                                      <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>          <C>
Income (loss) before income taxes
  and extraordinary item ...........     $ 16,763     $ 25,447     $(10,705)     $ 30,276     $ 42,436
Interest expense ...................        1,991          217         --          30,891       32,360
Portion of rentals representative of
     interest factor ...............          146          108          147           875          978
                                         --------     --------     --------      --------     --------
Total earnings available for fixed

     charges .......................     $ 18,900     $ 25,772     $(10,558)     $ 62,042       75,774
                                         ========     ========     ========      ========     ========


Interest expense ...................     $  1,991     $    217     $   --        $ 30,891     $ 32,360
Portion of rentals representative of
    interest factor ................          146          108          147           875          978
                                         --------     --------     --------      --------     --------
Total fixed charges ................     $  2,137     $    325     $    147      $ 31,766       33,338
                                         ========     ========     ========      ========     ========

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges .         8.84        79.30          (A)          1.95         2.27
                                         ========     ========     ========      ========     ========
</TABLE>


(A) As a result of the loss  incurred  in 1997,  the Company was unable to fully
cover the indicated fixed charges.



                                                  EXHIBIT 21

                                              CONMED Corporation
                                        Subsidiaries of the Registrant

     Name                               State or Country of Incorporation

Aspen Laboratories, Inc.                     Colorado
CONMED Andover Medical, Inc.                 New York
Envision Medical Corporation                 California
Linvatec Corporation                         Florida
Linvatec Australia Pty. Ltd                  Australia
Linvatec Canada ULC                          Canada
Linvatec Deutschland GmbH                    Germany
Linvatec Europe sprl                         Belgium
Linvatec France S.A.R.L.                     France
Linvatec Korea Ltd.                          Korea
Linvatec U.K. Ltd.                           United Kingdom



                                   EXHIBIT 23




                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We  hereby  consent  to the  incorporation  by  reference  in  the  Registration
Statements on Form S-8 (Nos. 33-23514,  33-40455,  33-49422, 33-49526, 33-58119,
33-87746,  333-48693 and  333-74497) of CONMED  Corporation  of our report dated
February 9, 2000 appearing on page F-1 of the 1999 Annual Report on Form 10-K.





/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
- -----------------------------
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Syracuse, New York
March 27, 2000


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                     5
<MULTIPLIER>                                  1,000

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1999
<CASH>                                           3,747
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   77,847
<ALLOWANCES>                                    (1,434)
<INVENTORY>                                     89,681
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               176,717
<PP&E>                                          92,340
<DEPRECIATION>                                 (34,506)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 662,161
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           67,191
<BONDS>                                        394,669
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                           153
<OTHER-SE>                                     211,108
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   662,161
<SALES>                                        372,617
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               372,617
<CGS>                                          178,480
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  178,480
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              32,360
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 42,436
<INCOME-TAX>                                    15,277
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             27,159
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    27,159
<EPS-BASIC>                                       1.78
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.76


</TABLE>


© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission