content: <PAGE>
  
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.  20549
  
                                 ----------------
                                     Form 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
  
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):       March 10, 2000
  
                              ARTHROCARE CORPORATION
          ----------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
          Delaware                          0-27422                   94-318031
  ---------------------------------  ------------------------- -------------------
   (State or other jurisdiction       (Commission File Number)    (IRS Employer
  of incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)
  
  
                             595 North Pastoria Avenuec
                            Sunnyvale, California 94086
                            ---------------------------
                (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
  
                                  (408) 736-0224
          ----------------------------------------------------------------
               (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  
  
          ________________________________________________________________
            (former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  <PAGE>
  
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
            On March 10, 2000, ArthroCare Corporation, a Delaware corporation,
  (the "Company") amended its stockholders' rights plan.  The First Amendment to
  Rights Agreement between the Company and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., as Rights
  Agent, is filed as an exhibit hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
  
  Item 7.        Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and
  Exhibits.
  
            (c) Exhibits.
  
  Exhibit
  
  No.          Description
  ---          -----------
  
  99.1         First Amendment to Rights Agreement dated March 10, 2000
  <PAGE>
  
                                    SIGNATURES
  
            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  Dated:  March 10, 2000
  
                                      ARTHROCARE CORPORATION
  
                                      By:  /s/ Christine Hanni
                                           ---------------------------------
                                           Name:  Christine Hanni
                                           Title: Chief Financial Officer
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2712}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ARTHROCARE CORP", "cik": "0001005010", "assigned-sic": "3845", "irs-number": "943180312", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0102"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-27422", "film-number": "566707"}, "business-address": {"street1": "595 N PASTORIA AVE", "city": "SUNNYVALE", "state": "CA", "zip": "94086", "phone": "4087360224"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "595 NORTH PASTORIA AVE", "city": "SUNNVALE", "state": "CA", "zip": "94086"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.  20549
  
                                 ----------------
                                     Form 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
  
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):       March 10, 2000
  
                              ARTHROCARE CORPORATION
          ----------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
          Delaware                          0-27422                   94-318031
  ---------------------------------  ------------------------- -------------------
   (State or other jurisdiction       (Commission File Number)    (IRS Employer
  of incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)
  
                             595 North Pastoria Avenuec
                            Sunnyvale, California 94086
                            ---------------------------
                (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
  
                                  (408) 736-0224
          ----------------------------------------------------------------
               (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  
          ________________________________________________________________
            (former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
            On March 10, 2000, ArthroCare Corporation, a Delaware corporation,
  (the "Company") amended its stockholders' rights plan.  The First Amendment to
  Rights Agreement between the Company and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., as Rights
  Agent, is filed as an exhibit hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
  
  Item 7.        Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and
  Exhibits.
  
            (c) Exhibits.
  
  Exhibit
  
  No.          Description
  ---          -----------
  
  99.1         First Amendment to Rights Agreement dated March 10, 2000
  SIGNATURES
  
            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  Dated:  March 10, 2000
  
                                      ARTHROCARE CORPORATION
  
                                      By:  /s/ Christine Hanni
                                           ---------------------------------
                                           Name:  Christine Hanni
                                           Title: Chief Financial Officer