MAS to Integrate ITC’s AVOXimeter® 4000 and AVOXimeter 1000E to RALS®-Plus

July 15, 2009, Charlottesville, VA and Edison, NJ - International Technidyne Corporation (ITC) and Medical Automation Systems, Inc. (MAS) announced that they have entered into an agreement to add the ITC® AVOXimeter 4000 CO-oximeter and the AVOXimeter 1000E oximeters to the RALS®-Plus point-of-care (POC) data management system developed and marketed by MAS.

RALS Plus will enable users of the AVOXimeter 4000 and AVOXimeter 1000E to automatically manage, report and electronically transfer patient CO-oximetry and oximetry results and data to the RALS-Plus database and the hospital's laboratory information system.

"ITC has worked with MAS since 2000 with interfacing our Hemochron® coagulation devices, and IRMA TRUpoint® blood analysis system. We are excited to have the opportunity to add the AVOXimeter CO-oximetry and oximetry connectivity at the point of care using RALS-Plus," said Beth O'Connell, ITC Marketing Director, Hospital Point-of-Care. "The availability of RALS-Plus will strengthen ITC's bedside testing solutions, allowing our customers to more effectively manage and transfer data wherever testing takes place in the hospital."

"As the industry's leader in vendor independent data management systems for point of care, we are very pleased to add the ITC AVOXimeter devices to the RALS-Plus family of interfaces," said Stephanie Shufelt, RALS Product Manager of MAS. "ITC has always been known for quality, performance and innovation. These are our primary strengths as well which ensures that our joint customers will continue to enjoy all the benefits both organizations can offer."

Designed to provide an accurate and timely measurement during cardiac catheterization procedures, the AVOXimeter 1000E is a portable, advanced oximeter that efficiently measures hemodynamic function for a more comprehensive picture. The AVOXimeter 1000E measures total hemoglobin concentration, oxyhemoglobin fraction and computes oxygen content in less than 10 seconds.

The AVOXimeter 4000 is also portable and provides rapid, accurate assessment of the patient's true oxygenation status at the bedside. Whether used in the ER to measure COHb in the assessment of carbon monoxide toxicity, the NICU to confirm the presence of methemoglobin as a result of nitric oxide therapy, or other critical care applications, the AVOXimeter 4000 offers a comprehensive test panel providing critical measurements of information in seconds.

RALS-Plus is a leader in connectivity systems for POCT and provides users with total control of their program. At the click of an icon you can view all results that have been downloaded, display all results that have been flagged based on setup criteria, electronically manage all system operators, email weekly and monthly reports and so much more. In addition, MAS offers RALS-Web, which enables users to remotely connect to their RALS-Plus database and access key information from any device using a computer connected on the hospital network.

About MAS

Medical Automation Systems, Inc. (www.rals.com) is the country's premier provider of data management systems used by hospitals to monitor and manage diagnostic testing performed at the patient's bedside. Founded in 1994, MAS currently has systems running in over 1,600 U.S. hospitals by the end of 2009. With the 1999 Institute of Medicine report on the impact of medical errors on patient mortality and cost of care, an increasing number of hospitals are focused on taking steps to minimize the number of errors tied to patient and specimen identification. RALS-Plus provides a healthcare information technology (IT) solution that can aid in eliminating sources of bedside diagnostic testing identification errors cited in the Institute's report. Other products include RALS-Web, providing instant access to POC results through the hospital intranet; RALS-eQuiz, an on-line training tool with re-certification quizzes and automatic grading; and the RALS-Report, a benchmarking service that represents the largest data repository for hospital blood glucose measurement in the country. MAS also supports websites that provide source and reference materials on the point-of-care industry and glycemic control protocols. Visit www.pointofcare.net, and www.glycemiccontrol.net.

About ITC

ITC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Thoratec Corporation (NASDQ:THOR) and is a world leader in the fields of hemostasis management and point-of-care testing with over 40 years of knowledge and experience. ITC develops, manufactures and markets products in six distinct categories: HEMOCHRON® point-of-care coagulation instruments and reagents; IRMA TRUpoint® Blood Analysis System for blood gas and electrolyte testing; AVOXimeter® CO-oximetry devices and cuvettes; skin incision products including Tenderfoot®, Tenderlett® and Surgicutt®; Hgb Pro Professional Hemoglobin Testing System®; and the ProTime® Microcoagulation System for prothrombin time testing at home and for professional use. ITC, A-VOX Systems, AVOXimeter, Hemochron, ProTime, Surgicutt, Tenderlett, Tenderfoot, and IRMA are registered trademarks of International Technidyne Corporation.

Many of the preceding paragraphs contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements can be identified by the words, "believes," "expects," "could," "will," and other similar words. Actual results, events or performance could differ materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of factors, many of which are beyond ITC's control. Therefore, readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these statements. Investors are cautioned that all such statements involve risks and uncertainties, including risks related to the growth of existing markets for ITC's products, customer and physician acceptance of ITC products, the effects of FDA regulatory requirements, the effects of changes in monitoring requirements for medical procedures, the effects of healthcare reimbursement and coverage policies, and the effects of price competition from competitors. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release should be considered in light of these factors and those factors discussed from time to time in Thoratec Corporation's public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors," in Thoratec's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q, and as may be updated in subsequent SEC filings. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. ITC undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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