-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 IeE8sqisnY2negEBNJoTQSkJSfiIL9aM177ZzAwK7GU+my9x5b6rfg5mL12u9eRs
 5xafCBq4YDvfB8LJUPeyEQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-03-002405.txt : 20030627
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-03-002405.hdr.sgml : 20030627
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030627080632
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-03-002405
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030625
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030627

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ABIOMED INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000815094
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SURGICAL & MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS & APPARATUS [3841]
		IRS NUMBER:				042743260
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0331

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		33 CHERRY HILL DR
		CITY:			DANVERS
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01923
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5087775410

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		33 CHERRY HILL DRIVE
		CITY:			DANVERS
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01923

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BOLT WILLIAM J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001199632

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09585
		FILM NUMBER:		03759497

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O ABIOMED INC
		STREET 2:		22 CHERRY HILL DRIVE
		CITY:			DANVERS
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01923
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9787775410

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O ABIOMED INC
		STREET 2:		22 CHERRY HILL DRIVE
		CITY:			DANVERS
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01923
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -2003-06-25
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-25</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000815094</issuerCik><issuerName>ABIOMED INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>ABMD</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001199632</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>BOLT WILLIAM J</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>SVP, DA and QA</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</v
alue></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-27</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transacti
onDate><value>1993-11-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>4.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1998-11-15</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-11-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrInd
irectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>5.313</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1995-12-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>5.313</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-12-14</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-12-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common 
Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>51000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>51000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1996-08-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>6.25</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredD
isposedCode><value>A</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-08-12</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-08-12</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.688</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1999-07-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A<
/transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>6.688</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-07-01</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-07-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitl
e><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.563</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2000-06-28</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>15.563</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-06-28</value><footnoteId id="F7"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-06-28</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>40000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecur
ity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>40000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24.120</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2001-06-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>24.120</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>
2003-06-22</value><footnoteId id="F8"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-06-22</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.75</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2002-06-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></tra
nsactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>6.75</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-06-25</value><footnoteId id="F9"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-06-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>5.11</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>16000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>5.11</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-06-25</value><footnoteId id="F10"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-06-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>16000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><owners
hipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This transaction is not a new addition, but is shown for historical reporting purposes only.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Options were fully exercisable on the date shown.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Grant to reporting person of this option to buy the number of Common Stock set forth in Table II, Column 7, under the ABIOMED, Inc. 1992 Combination Stock Option Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Grant to reporting person of this option to buy the number of Common Stock set forth in Table II, Column 7, under the ABIOMED, Inc. 1998 Equity Incentive Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Grant to reporting person of this option to buy the number of Common Stock set forth in Table II, Column 7, under the ABIOMED, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F6">Thirty percent of this option will become exercisable on each of 7/1/01 and 7/1/02 and an addtional 40 p
ercent will become exercisable on 7/1/03.</footnote><footnote id="F7">Thirty percent of this option will become exercisable on each of 6/28/02 and 6/28/03 and an addtional 40 percent will become exercisable on 6/28/04.</footnote><footnote id="F8">Thirty percent of this option will become exercisable on each of 6/22/03 and 6/22/04 and an addtional 40 percent will become exercisable on 6/22/05.</footnote><footnote id="F9">Thirty percent of this option will become exercisable on each of 6/25/04 and 6/25/05 and an addtional 40 percent will become exercisable on 6/25/06.</footnote><footnote id="F10">Thirty percent of this option will become exercisable on each of 6/25/05 and 6/25/06 and an addtional 40 percent will become exercisable on 6/25/07.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Charles B. Haaser</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-27</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----