As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 26, 1998.

                                                       Registration No. 333-    


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             -----------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             Registration Statement

                                      Under

                           The Securities Act of 1933
                           --------------------------

                               CONMED CORPORATION
               (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)


          NEW YORK                                              16-0977505
(State or other jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                              Identification No.)

                               CONMED CORPORATION
                                310 Broad Street
                                Utica, New York                  13501
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

                    CONMED Corporation 1992 Stock Option Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)
                            ------------------------

                               Eugene R. Corasanti
                       President and Chairman of the board
                               CONMED CORPORATION
                                310 Broad Street
                              Utica, New York 13501
                     (Name and address of agent for service)
                                 (315) 797-8375
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Title of                            Proposed Maximum       Proposed Maximum
 Securities to be      Amount to be       Offering Price            Aggregate            Amount of
    Registered          Registered          Per Share(1)         Offering Price(1)    Registration Fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                      <C>                 <C>                  <C>                      <C>
  Common Stock           987,500             $22.4375             $22,157,031.25           $6,537
($.01 par value)         shares
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>
(1)   Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
      pursuant to Rule 457(h) based upon the average of the high and low prices
      reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market on March 20, 1998.
</FN>
</TABLE>


<PAGE>


         This is a registration of additional securities of the same class as
other securities for which a registration statement filed on this form relating
to an employee benefit plan has become effective. The contents of an earlier
registration statement, File No. 33-49526, are incorporated herein by reference.

         With respect to Item 5 (Interests of Named Experts and Counsel), the
validity of the Common Stock which is registered hereby will be passed upon by
Joseph J. Corasanti, Vice President-Legal Affairs and General Counsel of the
Registrant. Mr. Corasanti is also a director of the Registrant.


                                    EXHIBITS

  Exhibit No.                              Description
  -----------                              -----------

     4.1                 Amended and Restated By-Laws, as adopted by the Board
                         of Directors on December 26, 1990 -- incorporated
                         herein by reference to the exhibit in the Company's
                         Current Report on Form 8-K, dated March 7, 1991 (File
                         No. 0-16093).

     4.2A                1992 Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation and
                         Restated Certificate of Incorporation of CONMED
                         Corporation -- incorporated herein by reference to the
                         exhibit in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
                         the year ended December 25, 1992.

     4.2B                1996 Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation and
                         Restated Certificate of Incorporation of CONMED
                         Corporation -- incorporated herein by reference to the
                         exhibit in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
                         the year ended December 31, 1996.

     4.3                 Warrant, dated as of December 31, 1997, issued to
                         Bristol-Myers Squibb Company -- incorporated herein by
                         reference to Exhibit 4.1 in the Company's Current
                         Report on Form 8-K, filed on January 8, 1998.


                                       -2-


<PAGE>


     4.4                 Credit Agreement, dated as of December 29, 1997, among
                         CONMED Corporation, the several banks and other
                         financial institutions of entities from time to time
                         parties to the Agreement, Chase Securities Inc.,
                         Salomon Brothers Holding Company, Inc and The Chase
                         Manhattan Bank -- incorporated herein by reference to
                         Exhibit 10.1 in the Company's Current Report on Form
                         8-K, filed on January 8, 1998.

     4.5                 Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of
                         December 31, 1997, made by CONMED Corporation and
                         certain of its subsidiaries in favor of The Chase
                         Manhattan Bank -- incorporated herein by reference to
                         Exhibit 10.2 in the Company's Current Report on Form
                         8-K filed on January 8, 1998.

     4.6                 Indenture, dated as of March 5, 1998, by and among
                         CONMED Corporation, the Subsidiary Guarantors named
                         therein and First Union National Bank, as Trustee.

     5                   Opinion of Joseph J. Corasanti

     23.1                Consent of Joseph J. Corasanti (included in Exhibit 5).

     23.2                Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP.

     24                  Power of Attorney (set forth on the signature pages of
                         this registration statement).


                                       -3-


<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Utica, New York on March 25, 1998.

                                    CONMED Corporation



                                    By: /s/ EUGENE R. CORASANTI
                                       ----------------------------
                                       Name:  Eugene R. Corasanti
                                       Title: President, Chief
                                              Executive Officer and
                                              Chairman of the Board


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Eugene R. Corasanti and Joseph J. Corasanti, and
each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power
of substitution and resubstitution, for him in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign and any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments) to the Registration Statement, and file the same, with all exhibits
thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents or any of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


                                       -4-


<PAGE>


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on March 25, 1998.


         Signatures                               Title
         ----------                               -----

 /s/ EUGENE R. CORASANTI          President, Chief Executive Officer
-----------------------------       and Chairman of the Board
     Eugene R. Corasanti          (Principal Executive Officer)


 /s/ ROBERT D. SHALLISH, JR.      Chief Financial Officer, Vice
-----------------------------       President--Finance and Assistant
    Robert D. Shallish, Jr.       Secretary (Principal Financial
                                    Officer)


 /s/ LUKE A. POMILIO              Controller (Principal Accounting
-----------------------------       Officer)
      Luke A. Pomilio


 /s/ JOSEPH J. CORASANTI          Vice President--Legal Affairs,
-----------------------------     General Counsel and Director
     Joseph J. Corasanti


 /s/ ROBERT E. REMMELL            Director and Assistant Secretary
-----------------------------
     Robert E. Remmell


 /s/ HARRY CONE                   Director
-----------------------------
         Harry Cone


 /s/ BRUCE F. DANIELS             Director
-----------------------------
     Bruce F. Daniels


 /s/ WILLIAM D. MATTHEWS          Director
-----------------------------
    William D. Matthews


                                       -5-
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 10208}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CONMED CORP", "cik": "0000816956", "assigned-sic": "3845", "irs-number": "160977505", "state-of-incorporation": "NY", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-48693", "film-number": "98574128"}, "business-address": {"street1": "310 BROAD ST", "city": "UTICA", "state": "NY", "zip": "13501", "phone": "3157978375"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "310 BROAD STREET", "street2": "310 BROAD STREET", "city": "UTICA", "state": "NY", "zip": "13501"}}
As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 26, 1998.

                                                       Registration No. 333-    

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             -----------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             Registration Statement

                                      Under

                           The Securities Act of 1933
                           --------------------------

                               CONMED CORPORATION
               (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)

          NEW YORK                                              16-0977505
(State or other jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                              Identification No.)

                               CONMED CORPORATION
                                310 Broad Street
                                Utica, New York                  13501
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

                    CONMED Corporation 1992 Stock Option Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)
                            ------------------------

                               Eugene R. Corasanti
                       President and Chairman of the board
                               CONMED CORPORATION
                                310 Broad Street
                              Utica, New York 13501
                     (Name and address of agent for service)
                                 (315) 797-8375
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Title of                            Proposed Maximum       Proposed Maximum
 Securities to be      Amount to be       Offering Price            Aggregate            Amount of
    Registered          Registered          Per Share(1)         Offering Price(1)    Registration Fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock           987,500             $22.4375             $22,157,031.25           $6,537
($.01 par value)         shares
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)   Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
      pursuant to Rule 457(h) based upon the average of the high and low prices
      reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market on March 20, 1998.
This is a registration of additional securities of the same class as
other securities for which a registration statement filed on this form relating
to an employee benefit plan has become effective. The contents of an earlier
registration statement, File No. 33-49526, are incorporated herein by reference.

         With respect to Item 5 (Interests of Named Experts and Counsel), the
validity of the Common Stock which is registered hereby will be passed upon by
Joseph J. Corasanti, Vice President-Legal Affairs and General Counsel of the
Registrant. Mr. Corasanti is also a director of the Registrant.

                                    EXHIBITS

  Exhibit No.                              Description
  -----------                              -----------

     4.1                 Amended and Restated By-Laws, as adopted by the Board
                         of Directors on December 26, 1990 -- incorporated
                         herein by reference to the exhibit in the Company's
                         Current Report on Form 8-K, dated March 7, 1991 (File
                         No. 0-16093).

     4.2A                1992 Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation and
                         Restated Certificate of Incorporation of CONMED
                         Corporation -- incorporated herein by reference to the
                         exhibit in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
                         the year ended December 25, 1992.

     4.2B                1996 Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation and
                         Restated Certificate of Incorporation of CONMED
                         Corporation -- incorporated herein by reference to the
                         exhibit in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
                         the year ended December 31, 1996.

     4.3                 Warrant, dated as of December 31, 1997, issued to
                         Bristol-Myers Squibb Company -- incorporated herein by
                         reference to Exhibit 4.1 in the Company's Current
                         Report on Form 8-K, filed on January 8, 1998.

                                       -2-
4.4                 Credit Agreement, dated as of December 29, 1997, among
                         CONMED Corporation, the several banks and other
                         financial institutions of entities from time to time
                         parties to the Agreement, Chase Securities Inc.,
                         Salomon Brothers Holding Company, Inc and The Chase
                         Manhattan Bank -- incorporated herein by reference to
                         Exhibit 10.1 in the Company's Current Report on Form
                         8-K, filed on January 8, 1998.

     4.5                 Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of
                         December 31, 1997, made by CONMED Corporation and
                         certain of its subsidiaries in favor of The Chase
                         Manhattan Bank -- incorporated herein by reference to
                         Exhibit 10.2 in the Company's Current Report on Form
                         8-K filed on January 8, 1998.

     4.6                 Indenture, dated as of March 5, 1998, by and among
                         CONMED Corporation, the Subsidiary Guarantors named
                         therein and First Union National Bank, as Trustee.

     5                   Opinion of Joseph J. Corasanti

     23.1                Consent of Joseph J. Corasanti (included in Exhibit 5).

     23.2                Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP.

     24                  Power of Attorney (set forth on the signature pages of
                         this registration statement).

                                       -3-
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Utica, New York on March 25, 1998.

                                    CONMED Corporation

                                    By: /s/ EUGENE R. CORASANTI
                                       ----------------------------
                                       Name:  Eugene R. Corasanti
                                       Title: President, Chief
                                              Executive Officer and
                                              Chairman of the Board

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Eugene R. Corasanti and Joseph J. Corasanti, and
each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power
of substitution and resubstitution, for him in his name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign and any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments) to the Registration Statement, and file the same, with all exhibits
thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power
and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact
and agents or any of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                                       -4-
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on March 25, 1998.

         Signatures                               Title
         ----------                               -----

 /s/ EUGENE R. CORASANTI          President, Chief Executive Officer
-----------------------------       and Chairman of the Board
     Eugene R. Corasanti          (Principal Executive Officer)

 /s/ ROBERT D. SHALLISH, JR.      Chief Financial Officer, Vice
-----------------------------       President--Finance and Assistant
    Robert D. Shallish, Jr.       Secretary (Principal Financial
                                    Officer)

 /s/ LUKE A. POMILIO              Controller (Principal Accounting
-----------------------------       Officer)
      Luke A. Pomilio

 /s/ JOSEPH J. CORASANTI          Vice President--Legal Affairs,
-----------------------------     General Counsel and Director
     Joseph J. Corasanti

 /s/ ROBERT E. REMMELL            Director and Assistant Secretary
-----------------------------
     Robert E. Remmell

 /s/ HARRY CONE                   Director
-----------------------------
         Harry Cone

 /s/ BRUCE F. DANIELS             Director
-----------------------------
     Bruce F. Daniels

 /s/ WILLIAM D. MATTHEWS          Director
-----------------------------
    William D. Matthews

                                       -5-