Nov 14 (Reuters) - Three major investors are pushing

medical device maker Smith & Nephew to consider a

break-up of the business, the Financial Times reported on

Thursday, citing shareholders.

The UK-headquartered company should spin off its

orthopaedics division, which makes replacement hip and knee

joints, if management could not improve its performance, the top

20 shareholders told FT.

(Reporting by Devika Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu

Sahu)