ArthroCare Corporation was an American medical device company best known for developing and marketing radiofrequency-based Coblation systems used in soft-tissue surgery across sports medicine and otolaryngology.[1][2] The company was headquartered in Austin, Texas, and in May 2014 it was acquired by Smith & Nephew for approximately $1.5 billion enterprise value.[3][4]
History
ArthroCare was founded in 1993 by engineers Hira V. Thapliyal and Philip E. Eggers and initially based in California, focusing on applying controlled radiofrequency energy to surgical tissue removal.[5] The company completed its initial public offering in February 1996, selling 2.2 million shares at $14 each on NASDAQ under the ticker ARTC.[6]