Exhibit 10.42

GENERAL RELEASE AND SEPARATION AGREEMENT

This General Release and Separation Agreement (hereafter "Agreement") is entered into
between Rich Christensen (the "Executive"), and ArthroCare Corporation (the "Company") (collectively
referred to as the "Parties"), effective eight days after the Executive's signature (the "Effective
Date"), unless he revokes his acceptance as provided in Paragraph 7(b), below.

WHEREAS,
the Executive was the Company's Senior Vice President of Operations;

WHEREAS,
the Executive tendered his resignation, and the Company accepted such resignation effective as of December 31, 2010;

WHEREAS,
the Company and the Executive now wish to document the termination of their employment relationship and fully and finally to resolve all matters between them;

THEREFORE,
in exchange for the good and valuable consideration set forth herein, the adequacy of which is specifically acknowledged, the Executive and the Company hereby agree as
follows:

1.Resignation of Employment.The Executive hereby confirms his resignation of his employment and all positions
that the Executive held as an officer of the Company and all subsidiaries of the Company, and the Company confirms its acceptance of such resignations, effective December 31, 2010 (the
"Resignation Date").

2.Payment of Accrued Wages and Expenses.The Executive acknowledges receipt of an amount equal to all accrued
wages through the Resignation Date, including accrued, unused vacation or paid time off, less applicable withholding. The Executive shall be promptly reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary
expenses incurred and submitted for reimbursement on or before the Resignation Date in accordance with the Company's expense reimbursement policies.

3.Bonus for the Calendar Year Ending December 31, 2010.The Company shall pay the Executive his annual
bonus for the Company's fiscal year ending December 31, 2010, subject to the achievement of the applicable performance milestones and goals established for such bonus, as determined by the
Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors (the "2010 Bonus"), This payment of the 2010 Bonus, if any, shall be paid in a lump sum to the Employee during the 2011 calendar year at the
same time that other executives of the Company receive bonus payments with respect to the Company's fiscal year ending December 31, 2010.

4.Separation Payments.Within 10 days of the Effective Date, but in no event earlier than
January 1, 2011 or later than January 15, 2011 the Company shall pay the Executive $283,993 (two-hundred eighty three thousand nine-hundred ninety three dollars)
(the "Separation Payment"), less all applicable taxes and other authorized withholding. Additionally, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for the amount of his premium payment for group health
coverage, if any, elected by Executive pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended ("COBRA"); provided, however, that (A) such reimbursement shall not
exceed $796.21 per month, and (B) the Executive shall be solely responsible for all matters relating to his continuation of coverage pursuant to COBRA, including (without limitation) his
election of such coverage and his timely payment of premiums; provided, further, that upon the earlier to occur of (1) the time that the Executive no longer constitutes a Qualified Beneficiary
(as such term is defined in Section 4980B(g)(1) of the Code and (2) the date twelve (12) months following the Effective Date, the Company's obligations to reimburse the Employee
under this subsection (iii) shall cease.

5.Tax Indemnity.The Executive acknowledges that he has not received and does not rely upon any tax advice
given by the Company or its attorneys or representatives. The Executive further agrees that he shall be solely responsible for all tax assessments, penalties, and fines levied against the

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payments
made pursuant to this Agreement by any taxing authority, and shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless (all to the maximum extent allowed by law) the Company against all tax assessments,
penalties, and fines assessed by any taxing authority against the Company as a result of (a) the Executive's characterization of the Settlement Payment made pursuant to this Agreement, or
(b) any failure by the Executive to pay taxes as required on any and all payments made pursuant to this Agreement.

6.Equity Awards.All equity awards granted to the Executive shall be treated in accordance with the terms of
the applicable Plan(s), Stock Option Agreement(s) and Notice(s) of Grant, except to the extent any such Stock Option Agreements or Notices of Grants evidencing any nonstatutory stock options and
incentive stock option grants numbered 1627, 1436 and 1778 (the "Specified ISOs") do not provide for net exercise (as defined below), in which such case such Stock Option Agreements or Notices of
Grants, as applicable, hereby will be deemed amended to the extent necessary to provide for net exercise. Executive acknowledges that upon the execution of this Agreement, each unexercised Specified
ISO that qualifies as an "incentive stock option" within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), which does not provide for net exercise shall
be deemed modified for the purposes of Section 424 of the Code and, to the extent the exercise price thereof is lower than the fair market value of the Company's common stock as of the date
this Agreement is executed, such option shall no longer qualify as an incentive stock option and Executive will lose the potentially favorable tax treatment associated with such option. For the
purposes of this Agreement, "net exercise" shall mean the surrender of shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of Executive's stock options in satisfaction of the aggregate exercise price and the
minimum statutorily required withholding obligations incurred in connection with the exercise of Executive's stock options.

7.General Release of Claims by the Executive.



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If
the Executive wishes to revoke this agreement, he must deliver written notice stating that intent to revoke, in accordance with the notice provisions of Section 14, on or before
5:00 p.m. on the seventh (7th) day after the date on which the Executive signs this Agreement.



8.Nondisparagement.The Executive agrees that neither he nor anyone acting by, through, under or in concert
with him shall disparage or otherwise communicate negative statements or opinions about the Company, its Board members, officers, employees or business. The Company agrees that neither its Board
members nor officers shall disparage or otherwise communicate negative statements or opinions about the Executive.

9.Cooperation.The Executive agrees to give reasonable cooperation, at the Company's request, in any pending or
future litigation or arbitration brought against the Company and in any investigation the Company may conduct. The Company shall reimburse the Executive for all expenses reasonably incurred by him in
compliance with this Section 9 and, to the extent the cooperation is requested by the Company and exceeds 10 hours of time in the aggregate, Executive will be compensated at a rate of
$135/hr for all hours in excess of 10 hours. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no obligation to pay the Executive for time spent and expenses incurred by the Executive in
any pending or future litigation or arbitration where the Executive is a co-defendant or party to the arbitration or litigation.

10.Executive's Representations and Warranties.The Executive represents and warrants that:



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11.Confidential Information; Non-Solicitation; Return of Company Property.



12.In the Event of a Claimed Breach.All controversies, claims and disputes arising out of or relating to this
Agreement, including without limitation any alleged violation of its terms, shall be resolved by final and binding arbitration before a single neutral arbitrator in San Francisco, California in
accordance with the Employment Dispute Resolution Rules of the American Arbitration Association ("AAA"). The arbitration shall be commenced by filing a
demand for arbitration with the AAA within 14 (fourteen) days after the filing party has given notice of such breach to the other party. The arbitrator shall award the prevailing party attorneys' fees
and expert fees, if any. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is acknowledged that it will be impossible to measure in money the damages that would be suffered if the parties fail to comply with any of
the obligations imposed on them under Section 11(a) and (b) hereof, and that in the event of any such failure, an aggrieved person will be irreparably damaged and will not have an
adequate remedy at law. Any such person shall, therefore, be entitled to injunctive relief, including specific performance, to enforce such obligations, and if any action shall be brought in equity to
enforce any of the provisions of Section 11(a) and (b) of this Agreement, none of the parties hereto shall raise the defense that there is an adequate remedy at law.

13.Choice of Law.This Agreement shall in all respects be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of
the State of California, including all matters of construction, validity and performance, without regard to conflicts of law principles.

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14.Notices.All notices, demands or other communications regarding this Agreement shall be in writing and shall
be sufficiently given if either personally delivered or sent by facsimile or overnight courier, addressed as follows:

(a)

If to the Company:ArthroCare Corporation
7500 Rialto Boulevard
Building Two, Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78735
Attn: General Counsel
Tel: 512-391-3900
Fax: 512-391-3901(b)

If to the Executive:Rich Christensen
200 Brannan St, Unit 424
San Francisco, CA 94107

With a copy to:Jeffrey A. Snyder, Esq
Thoits, Love, Hershberger & McLean
285 Hamilton Ave, Suite 300
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Fax: 650-325-5572


15.Severability.Except as otherwise specified below, should any portion of this Agreement be found void or
unenforceable for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, the parties intend that such provision be limited or modified so as to make it enforceable, and if such provision cannot be modified
to be enforceable, the unenforceable portion shall be deemed severed from the remaining portions of this Agreement, which shall otherwise remain in full force and effect. If any portion of this
Agreement is so found to be void or unenforceable for any reason in regard to any one or more persons, entities, or subject matters, such portion shall remain in full force and effect with respect to
all other persons, entities, and subject matters. This paragraph shall not operate, however, to sever the Executive's obligation to provide the binding release to all entities intended to be released
hereunder.

16.Understanding and Authority.The parties understand and agree that all terms of this Agreement are
contractual and are not a mere recital, and represent and warrant that they are competent to covenant and agree as herein provided.

17.Integration Clause.This Agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties with regard to the
separation of the Executive's employment, and supersedes any prior agreements as to that matter. This Agreement may not be changed or modified, in whole or in part, except by an instrument in writing
signed by the Executive and an authorized officer of the Company.

REMAINDER
OF PAGE INTETIONALLY LEFT BLANK

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18.Execution in Counterparts.This Agreement may be executed in counterparts with the same force and
effectiveness as though executed in a single document.

The
parties have carefully read this Agreement in its entirety; fully understand and agree to its terms and provisions; and intend and agree that it is final and binding on all parties.

IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, and intending to be legally bound, the parties have executed the foregoing on the dates shown below.

Rich Christensen

ARTHROCARE CORPORATION/s/ Rich Christensen

/s/ Richard RewSenior Vice President and General CouncilDate:

December 28, 2010

Date:

December 31, 2010


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