content: As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
                                 on March 10, 1998.
  
  
                         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
  
                                  February 25, 1998
                                  (Date of Report)
  
                              BALLARD MEDICAL PRODUCTS
                             (Exact name of registrant 
                            as specified in its charter)
  
                                       1-12318
                              (Commission file number)
  
                                        UTAH
                   (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation 
                                  or organization)
  
                                     87-0340144
                        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)  
                      
  
                   12050 Lone Peak Parkway, Draper, Utah  84020  
                               (Address and Zip Code 
                           of principal executive offices)
  
                                   (801) 572-6800
                          (Registrant's telephone number, 
                                including area code) 
  
  
            ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OF ASSETS
  
                 Effective February  25, 1998, Ballard  Medical Products
            ("BMP") entered into an Agreement Concerning the Exchange of
            Common Stock of Ballard Medical Products for all Outstanding
            Common  Stock  of Tri-Med  Specialties, Inc.  (the "Exchange
            Agreement"), pursuant to  which BMP has acquired  all of the
            outstanding capital  shares  (i.e., 10,000  shares  Class  A
            Common Stock)  of Tri-Med Specialties, Inc.  ("Tri-Med"), in
            exchange  for 1,067,733  shares  of BMP  common shares  (the
            "Ballard   Shares").     Thus,  immediately   following  the
            acquisition, Tri-Med  became a  wholly  owned subsidiary  of
            BMP.  
  
                 Tri-Med,  a Kansas  corporation, is  a manufacturer  of
            Helicobacter Pylori diagnostic products.  Found in more than
            60% of Americans aged 60 and over, H. pylori has been linked
            to peptic ulcer disease  and may also be a  causative factor
            in  stomach cancer.  The international  market for this test
            is even  greater, especially in third  world countries where
            the incidence of H. pylori is significant.
  
                 The principal  products of Tri-Med are:  (1) CLOtest, a
            rapid urease test for  the detection of H. pylori,  that can
            be  used in  conjunction with  BMP s Thermal  Option  biopsy
            forceps,  and (2) PYtest, a breath test for the detection of
            H. pylori.  CLOtest  has become the  gold standard   for the
            detection  of  H.  pylori by  a  biopsy.   The  PYtest  is a
            noninvasive Carbon 14 urea  breath test, released by Tri-Med
            in May, 1997.
  
                 Both the CLOtest and the PYtest products are inventions
            of Barry J. Marshall, M.D., who was featured on a segment of
            ABC s   20/20," and  who  received the  coveted 1995  Lasker
            award for medical research.   Dr. Marshall first established
            (in the 1980s) a causal link between the H. pylori bacterium
            and  peptic ulcer  disease.   Both  the  CLOtest and  PYtest
            products are  covered by  patents held by  Dr. Marshall  and
            licensed to Tri-Med.
  
                 BMP feels  this is  a very exciting  acquisition, which
            opens a whole  new frontier of  opportunity within the  call
            pattern  of its  Interventional  Division  sales force,  and
            gives  BMP a  greater  opportunity to  impact  international
            markets.
  
                 This transaction is being accounted for as a pooling of
            interests transaction.  In addition, the parties intend that
            the  transaction qualify as  a tax-free reorganization under
            Section 368(a)(1)(B) of the  Internal Revenue Code (1986, as
            amended).
  
                 The Exchange  Agreement  called  for  the  issuance  of
            approximately $26 million  in Ballard  Shares, valued  based
            upon  the average closing price of BMP's stock for the fifty
            trading  days   preceding   the  closing   date.      53,386
            (representing  5%)  of the  Ballard  Shares  were issued  in
            escrow in a  certificate to Zions First  National Bank (Salt
            Lake City, Utah), as  escrow agent.  The escrow  will likely
            continue  only until audited financial statements are issued
            for the  combined companies (approximately  December, 1998).
            The escrow  secures representations  and warranties made  in
            the Exchange Agreement by the shareholders of Tri-Med.
  
                 Certain statements  herein  could be  characterized  as
            forward-looking  statements and  are  subject  to risks  and
            uncertainties  that  could cause  actual  results to  differ
            materially  from  those  projected.    Such  forward-looking  
            statements are  made pursuant to the  safe harbor provisions
            of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
  
            ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
  
                 (a)  Not   required   under    applicable   tests    of
            significance.
  
                 (b)  Not   required   under    applicable   tests    of
            significance.
  
                 (c)  Exhibits
  
                       Exhibit
                       Number    Description                   Location
  
                       99.1      Agreement Concerning the          p. 4
                                 Exchange of Common Stock of
                                 Ballard Medical Products
                                 for all Outstanding Common
                                 Stock of Tri-Med
                                 Specialties, Inc. 
  
                       99.2      Escrow Agreement Related to      p. 42
                                 Shares of Ballard Medical
                                 Products
  
  
                                     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.
  
                                          BALLARD MEDICAL PRODUCTS
  
            Dated:  March 6, 1998         By: Dale H. Ballard, President
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 6838}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "BALLARD MEDICAL PRODUCTS", "cik": "0000723534", "assigned-sic": "3841", "irs-number": "870340144", "state-of-incorporation": "UT", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-12318", "film-number": "98561057"}, "business-address": {"street1": "12050 LONE PEAK PKWY", "city": "DRAPER", "state": "UT", "zip": "84020", "phone": "8015726800"}, "mail-address": {"street2": "12050 LONE PEAK PKWY", "city": "DRAPER", "state": "UT", "zip": "84020"}}
text: As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
                                 on March 10, 1998.
  
                         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
  
                                  February 25, 1998
                                  (Date of Report)
  
                              BALLARD MEDICAL PRODUCTS
                             (Exact name of registrant 
                            as specified in its charter)
  
                                       1-12318
                              (Commission file number)
  
                                        UTAH
                   (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation 
                                  or organization)
  
                                     87-0340144
                        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)  
                      
  
                   12050 Lone Peak Parkway, Draper, Utah  84020  
                               (Address and Zip Code 
                           of principal executive offices)
  
                                   (801) 572-6800
                          (Registrant's telephone number, 
                                including area code) 
  
            ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OF ASSETS
  
                 Effective February  25, 1998, Ballard  Medical Products
            ("BMP") entered into an Agreement Concerning the Exchange of
            Common Stock of Ballard Medical Products for all Outstanding
            Common  Stock  of Tri-Med  Specialties, Inc.  (the "Exchange
            Agreement"), pursuant to  which BMP has acquired  all of the
            outstanding capital  shares  (i.e., 10,000  shares  Class  A
            Common Stock)  of Tri-Med Specialties, Inc.  ("Tri-Med"), in
            exchange  for 1,067,733  shares  of BMP  common shares  (the
            "Ballard   Shares").     Thus,  immediately   following  the
            acquisition, Tri-Med  became a  wholly  owned subsidiary  of
            BMP.  
  
                 Tri-Med,  a Kansas  corporation, is  a manufacturer  of
            Helicobacter Pylori diagnostic products.  Found in more than
            60% of Americans aged 60 and over, H. pylori has been linked
            to peptic ulcer disease  and may also be a  causative factor
            in  stomach cancer.  The international  market for this test
            is even  greater, especially in third  world countries where
            the incidence of H. pylori is significant.
  
                 The principal  products of Tri-Med are:  (1) CLOtest, a
            rapid urease test for  the detection of H. pylori,  that can
            be  used in  conjunction with  BMP s Thermal  Option  biopsy
            forceps,  and (2) PYtest, a breath test for the detection of
            H. pylori.  CLOtest  has become the  gold standard   for the
            detection  of  H.  pylori by  a  biopsy.   The  PYtest  is a
            noninvasive Carbon 14 urea  breath test, released by Tri-Med
            in May, 1997.
  
                 Both the CLOtest and the PYtest products are inventions
            of Barry J. Marshall, M.D., who was featured on a segment of
            ABC s   20/20," and  who  received the  coveted 1995  Lasker
            award for medical research.   Dr. Marshall first established
            (in the 1980s) a causal link between the H. pylori bacterium
            and  peptic ulcer  disease.   Both  the  CLOtest and  PYtest
            products are  covered by  patents held by  Dr. Marshall  and
            licensed to Tri-Med.
  
                 BMP feels  this is  a very exciting  acquisition, which
            opens a whole  new frontier of  opportunity within the  call
            pattern  of its  Interventional  Division  sales force,  and
            gives  BMP a  greater  opportunity to  impact  international
            markets.
  
                 This transaction is being accounted for as a pooling of
            interests transaction.  In addition, the parties intend that
            the  transaction qualify as  a tax-free reorganization under
            Section 368(a)(1)(B) of the  Internal Revenue Code (1986, as
            amended).
  
                 The Exchange  Agreement  called  for  the  issuance  of
            approximately $26 million  in Ballard  Shares, valued  based
            upon  the average closing price of BMP's stock for the fifty
            trading  days   preceding   the  closing   date.      53,386
            (representing  5%)  of the  Ballard  Shares  were issued  in
            escrow in a  certificate to Zions First  National Bank (Salt
            Lake City, Utah), as  escrow agent.  The escrow  will likely
            continue  only until audited financial statements are issued
            for the  combined companies (approximately  December, 1998).
            The escrow  secures representations  and warranties made  in
            the Exchange Agreement by the shareholders of Tri-Med.
  
                 Certain statements  herein  could be  characterized  as
            forward-looking  statements and  are  subject  to risks  and
            uncertainties  that  could cause  actual  results to  differ
            materially  from  those  projected.    Such  forward-looking  
            statements are  made pursuant to the  safe harbor provisions
            of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
  
            ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
  
                 (a)  Not   required   under    applicable   tests    of
            significance.
  
                 (b)  Not   required   under    applicable   tests    of
            significance.
  
                 (c)  Exhibits
  
                       Exhibit
                       Number    Description                   Location
  
                       99.1      Agreement Concerning the          p. 4
                                 Exchange of Common Stock of
                                 Ballard Medical Products
                                 for all Outstanding Common
                                 Stock of Tri-Med
                                 Specialties, Inc. 
  
                       99.2      Escrow Agreement Related to      p. 42
                                 Shares of Ballard Medical
                                 Products
  
                                     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.
  
                                          BALLARD MEDICAL PRODUCTS
  
            Dated:  March 6, 1998         By: Dale H. Ballard, President