RITA Medical Systems Requests 10K Filing ExtensionMOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RITA Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: RITA) today announced that it had filed for a 15-day extension of the filing deadline for its Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 2004. The extension has been requested due to the significant amount of time and expense required of management to execute against its Sarbanes-Oxley "Section 404" project plan, primarily due to process changes in the company's internal control over financial reporting related to the merger with Horizon Medical Products in July 2004. As a result, the company has not yet completed its financial statements and related disclosures, but expects to file its Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 2004 by the end of the two-week extension period.

The Company currently anticipates no changes to any of its fourth quarter or year end financial results issued via press release on February 16, 2005.

About RITA Medical Systems, Inc.

RITA Medical Systems develops manufactures and markets innovative products for cancer patients including radiofrequency ablation (RFA) systems for treating cancerous tumors as well as percutaneous vascular and spinal access systems. The Company's oncology product lines include implantable ports, some of which feature its proprietary VTX^® technology; tunneled central venous catheters; and stem-cell transplant catheters used primarily in cancer treatment protocols. The proprietary RITA system uses radiofrequency energy to heat tissue to a high enough temperature to ablate it or cause cell death.

The statements in this news release related to the timing of the Company's future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Company's future financial and operating performance are forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Information regarding these risks is included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact: Allen & Caron Inc.
Jill Bertotti (investors)
jill@allencaron.com
949-474-4300



SOURCE RITA Medical Systems, Inc.


03/16/2005
CONTACT: investors, Jill Bertotti of Allen & Caron Inc.,
+1-949-474-4300,
jill@allencaron.com,
for RITA Medical Systems, Inc. (RITA)