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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.2



DATASCOPE CORP.

1997 EXECUTIVE BONUS PLAN

This is the Datascope Corp. 1997 Executive Bonus Plan (the "Plan"), as
authorized by the "Committee" (as defined below) of Datascope Corp. (the
"Company"), for the payment of incentive compensation to Lawrence Saper,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Plan are to:

-        Align the interests of management and stockholders to increase
         shareholder value.

-        Provide reasonable compensation that is in line with industry
         standards.

-        Provide direct linkage between the compensation payable to Mr. Saper
         and Corporate earnings growth.

DEFINITIONS

As used in this Plan, the following terms have the following meanings:

"Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

"Committee" shall mean the Compensation Committee (or Sub-committee) of the
Board of Directors which shall consist solely of two or more "outside directors"
within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

"Plan Period" shall be the period beginning January 1, 1997 and ending June 30,
1997.

"Earnings" shall mean the pre-tax operating earnings as included in the
quarterly and audited annual consolidated financial statements of the Company
and its subsidiaries, as adjusted for pre-tax income or expense related to
"Special Items" of a material nature that are separately reported on the face of
the Company's financial statement, and also as adjusted for the pre-tax effect
of "Extraordinary Items" as disclosed on the Company's financial statements as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and as confirmed by the
Company's independent auditors. The terms "Special Items" and "Extraordinary
Items" shall have the same meaning as defined under Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles (GAAP).
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"Base Earnings" shall be $ 13,986,000, which constitutes the Company's total
pre-tax operating earnings for the period January 1, 1996 through June 30, 1996,
as included in the Company's quarterly and audited annual Financial Statements,
but excluding any special and extraordinary items as defined above.

"Bonus Earnings" shall be the amount by which the Earnings for the applicable
Plan Period exceeds Base Earnings, expressed in terms of a percentage increase
and rounded to the nearest one tenth of one percent.

The "Bonus Percentage" is the Bonus Award as a percent of salary paid with
respect to the Plan Period. The Bonus Percentage for the Plan Period shall be
computed as follows:

-        If Bonus Earnings is less than 15%, then Bonus Percentage equals zero.

-        If Bonus Earnings is 15% or greater, then Bonus Percentage equals Bonus
         Earnings that exceeds 15% multiplied by 10, plus 100%; however in no
         event shall the Bonus Percentage exceed the Plan maximum of 200%.

The "Bonus Award" payable for the Plan Period shall be the amount of base salary
paid with respect to the Plan Period, times the Plan Period Bonus Percentage,
limited with respect to the Plan Period to $ 795,000.

The Bonus Award payable for the Plan Period may be expressed utilizing the
following applicable mathematical formula, where:

B = Bonus Award
S = Base Salary for Measurement Period
G = Percent Growth in Earnings for the Measurement Period, rounded to the
nearest 0.1%.

If "G" is less than 15%, then "B" = 0.

If "G" is 15% or greater, then

         B =   [ 1 + ((G-.15) x 10) ] x S, subject to a maximum of 2 x S.
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EXAMPLES

Utilizing the above formulas, and assuming a base salary of $ 397,500
attributable to the Plan Period, the bonus payment will be computed as follows
for hypothetical earnings growth:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         Earnings Growth %          Percent of Salary         Bonus Amount
         -----------------          -----------------         ------------
<S>                                 <C>                       <C>
               15%                         100%                  397,500
               20%                         150%                  596,250
               25%                         200%                  795,000
</TABLE>

ADMINISTRATION

The Plan will be administered by the Committee. Subject to the provisions of the
Plan, the Committee will have full authority to interpret the Plan, to establish
and amend rules and regulations relating to it, to determine the terms and
provisions for making awards and to make all other determinations necessary or
advisable for the administration of the Plan.

PARTICIPATION

Participation in the Plan is limited to Lawrence Saper, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of the Company.

PAYMENT

The Bonus Award is contingent upon the satisfaction of the performance goals set
forth within this Plan, and upon receiving shareholder approval of the Plan. The
Bonus Award will be paid in cash as soon as practicable following issuance of
the written certification from the Committee that the performance goals have
been attained, and subsequent to Shareholder approval of this Plan.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Committee retains the right, if the performance goal is met, to reduce the
Bonus Award if, in its judgment, other subjective factors warrant a reduction.