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Cupertino, CA - (March 31, 1998) - General Surgical Innovations, Inc. (GSI) (Nasdaq: GSII) announced today the promotion of Gregory D. Casciaro, currently President and Chief Operating Officer, to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Casciaro replaces Roderick A.Young as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. Because Mr. Casciaro will continue to manage all operations, the Board has determined that the position of Chief Operating Officer will not be filled at this time. Mr. Casciaro has served as President and Chief Operating Officer and as a member of the company’s Board of Directors since August 1997. Roderick A.Young, who has served as Chief Executive Officer since March 1994 and Chairman of the Board since August 1997, will continue to serve as Chairman and be available to the company on a consulting basis.

Chairman Young commented, “Greg has played a crucial role in developing our growth strategy and positioning the company for advancing our presence in several high-growth markets, including cardiovascular, general surgery, and aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. His promotion represents another step in the company’s highly focused strategic plan to commercialize GSI’s proprietary balloon dissection technology.”

Added Mr. Young, “Greg has helped us develop the infrastructure we need to expand our presence in the market, and he has aided GSI in the continued development of innovative balloon dissection products that may offer simplified solutions to surgical procedures. Importantly, Greg has increased our emphasis on advancing the treatment of venous insufficiency and has spearheaded our efforts in the cardiovascular market, which offers significant growth opportunities for us. To advance our presence in this market, we have launched the ENDOSAPH™ vein harvest system, SAPHfinder™ balloon dissector, and the SPACEKEEPER™ retractor, all of which have been enthusiastically received.”

Commenting on his promotion, Mr. Casciaro added, “I am excited to have the opportunity to broaden my contribution to GSI. We have a unique, proprietary balloon dissection technology, which we have incorporated into a large portfolio of products that can be used in a wide range of minimally invasive surgical procedures. Based on the progress we have made over the past year in developing a systems approach to targeted surgical procedures, and our ability to attract talented people, I am encouraged by our long-term growth prospects, and I look forward to the challenge of guiding this company to new levels of success.”

Headquartered in Cupertino, California, General Surgical Innovations, Inc. develops, manufactures, and sells balloon dissection systems for minimally invasive surgery. The Company’s products are specifically designed for use with endoscopic and laparoscopic techniques in general, cardiovascular, cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries to create a working space at the surgical site, minimize tissue damage and improve patient recovery. The Company has developed a broad range of balloon shapes and sizes to be used for various surgical techniques, procedures, and market segments. In addition to selling products through distributors, GSI also sells products directly into the cardiovascular surgery market. For additional information, visit the General Surgical Innovations web page at www.gsii.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements, the accuracy of which is necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties. Future market development and demand for the Company’s products, among other matters discussed in this release, may differ significantly from the discussion of such matters in the forward-looking statements. Such differences may be based upon factors within General Surgical Innovations’ control, such as strategic planning decisions by management and reallocation of internal resources, or on factors outside of General Surgical Innovations’ control, such as scientific advances by third parties, marketing efforts by the Company’s distribution partners, introduction of competitive products and delays by regulatory authorities, as well as those factors set forth under the heading “Factors Affecting Future Results” in General Surgical Innovations’ Prospectus, Form 10K for the year ended June 30, 1997, Forms 10Q for the quarters ended September 30, 1997 and December 31, 1997, and other Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For more information on General Surgical Innovations, via fax at no cost,
dial 800-PRO-INFO (908-544-2850 outside the U.S.) ticker symbol: GSII.