New Hip Implant Provides Personalized Fit

Zimmer Introduces the Continuum(TM) Acetabular System

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Mar 11, 2010, 07:00 ET

WARSAW, Ind., March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZMH; SIX: ZMH), a leader in musculoskeletal care, today showcased its recently introduced Continuum Acetabular Cup System at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) annual meeting. The ContinuumCup combines the best of Zimmer's proven hip technologies – Trabecular Metal™ Technology, Metasul® Metal-on-Metal technology, BIOLOX® delta and Longevity® Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene – with new innovations in what is now the company's most versatile acetabular cup system.

Candidates for hip replacement surgery represent a wide array of ages and lifestyle demands. Different patient circumstances require surgeons to consider a variety of implant bearing surfaces to accommodate their patients' needs. The Continuum Cup gives surgeons the option of choosing between metal or Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene bearing surfaces, and metal or ceramic heads to match a range of patient lifestyles.

"By creating a system with multiple cup liner options in a range of sizes and configurations, surgeons are able to select the cup and bearing surface which best meet each patient's specific needs, creating a more personalized fit," said Jeff McCaulley, President, Zimmer Reconstructive. "In combination with our comprehensive stem portfolio, including our Fitmore® Hip Stem and our M/L Taper with Kinectiv® technology, Zimmer offers surgeons tremendous flexibility and confidence to personalize the implant solution."

Continuum shells are made with Zimmer's proprietary Trabecular Metal Technology, a highly porous tantalum material that supports initial implant stability and fixation. Trabecular Metal Technology is conducive to more normal bone formation and bone in-growth, decreased stress-shielding, and the potential for improved long-term implant fixation. The Metasul liner incorporates Zimmer's Metasul Metal-on-Metal technology, which has more than 20 years of clinical history. Longevity, the principal technology behind the polyethylene liner, is highly resistant to wear and aging and has more than 10 years of clinical experience.

About the Company

Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, Zimmer designs, develops, manufactures and markets orthopaedic reconstructive, spinal and trauma devices, dental implants, and related surgical products. Zimmer has operations in more than 25 countries around the world and sells products in more than 100 countries. Zimmer's 2009 sales were approximately $4.1 billion. The Company is supported by the efforts of more than 8,000 employees worldwide.

For more information about Zimmer, visit www.zimmer.com

Zimmer Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the orthopaedics industry, management's beliefs and assumptions made by management. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "may," "will," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "estimates," "projects," "assumes," "guides," "targets," "forecasts," and "seeks" or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see our periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be set forth in our periodic reports. Readers of this document are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, since, while we believe the assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.

SOURCE Zimmer Holdings, Inc.