Intuitive Surgical Names Heather Hand as Vice President of Human Resources

SUNNYVALE, CA, Feb 15, 2006 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISRG), the industry leader in surgical robotics, today announced the addition of Heather Hand to its management team as Vice President of Human Resources.

Over the past 20 years, Ms. Hand has held several executive-level Human Resource positions in the medical device and healthcare industry. Most recently, and for the previous five years, she worked as Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources for Sunrise Medical, Inc., a medical equipment manufacturer based in Carlsbad, California. Prior to Sunrise, Ms. Hand served for three years as Vice President, Human Resources for Biosense Webster, a division of Johnson and Johnson. She previously worked as Vice President of Human Resources for City of Hope, a leading cancer treatment and research center located in Duarte, California.

Commenting on the announcement, Lonnie Smith, Chairman and CEO of Intuitive Surgical, said, "We are delighted to have Heather as a member of our senior leadership team. She brings a wealth of experience in human resource management."

Ms. Hand received her MBA from Pepperdine University and her B.A. from Claremont McKenna College.

About Intuitive's Products:

The da Vinci(R) Surgical System consists of a surgeon's viewing and control console having an integrated, high-performance InSite(R) 3-D vision system, a patient-side cart consisting of three or four robotic arms that position and precisely maneuver endoscopic instruments and an endoscope, and a variety of articulating EndoWrist(R) Instruments. By integrating computer-enhanced technology with surgeons' technical skills, Intuitive believes that its system enables surgeons to perform better surgery in a manner never before experienced. The da Vinci(R) Surgical System seamlessly and directly translates the surgeon's natural hand, wrist and finger movements on instrument controls at the surgeon's console outside the patient's body into corresponding micro-movements of the instrument tips positioned inside the patient through small puncture incisions, or ports.

The Aesop(R) Endoscope Positioner is a voice-activated robotic arm that automates the critical task of endoscope positioning, providing the surgeon with direct control over a smooth, precise and stable view of the internal surgical field.

The Hermes(R) Control Center is a centralized system designed to voice control a series of networked "smart" medical devices.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of our management and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various important factors, including the following: timing and success of product development and market acceptance of developed products; regulatory approvals, clearances and restrictions; guidelines and recommendations in the health care and patient communities; intellectual property positions and litigation; competition in the medical device industry and in the specific markets of surgery in which Intuitive Surgical operates; and unanticipated manufacturing disruptions, delays in regulatory approvals of new manufacturing facilities or the inability to meet demand for products. Words such as "estimate," "project," "plan," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Intuitive(R), da Vinci(R), InSite(R), EndoWrist(R), Hermes(R), and Aesop(R) are registered trademarks of Intuitive Surgical, Inc

Contacts:
Ben Gong
408-523-2175
Sarah Norton
408-523-2161

SOURCE: Intuitive Surgical