-----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,
 DYLeSUPGJaYQsQjpEuNBjXf77TUpot05RYUDs3neE5/xaIXztoI78Bev19bWBMew
 ZVuk+T0KJUkBX123nEitUw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-03-002406.txt : 20030627
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-03-002406.hdr.sgml : 20030627
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030627080655
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-03-002406
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:			BERGER EDWARD E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001199627

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09585
		FILM NUMBER:		03759499

	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>0001199627</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>BERGER EDWARD E</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>VP, Strat. Plan &amp; Ext. Comm.</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (r
ight to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>22.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2001-01-02</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>22.50</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-01-02</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmount
s><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="F4"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.40</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2001-08-08</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>18.40</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-08-08</value><footnoteI
d id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-08-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</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>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></transactionTimeliness><transactio
nAmounts><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="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-06-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>30000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>30000</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>5.11</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><t
ransactionDate><value>2003-06-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>5.11</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-06-25</value><footnoteId id="F7"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-06-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwne
rship><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">Thirty percent of this option will become exercisable on each of 1/2/03 and 1/2/04 and an additional 40 percent will become exercisable on 1/2/05.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Grant to reporting person of option to buy the number of shares of Common Stock set forth in Table II, Column 7, under the ABIOMED, Inc. 1998 Equity Incentive Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Grant to reporting person of option to buy the number of shares of Common Stock set forth in Table II, Column 7, under the ABIOMED, Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Thirty percent of this option will become exercisable on each of 8/8/03 and 8/8/04 and an additional 40 percent will become exercisable on 8/8/05.</footnote><footnote id="F6">Thirty percent of this option will become exercis
able on each of 6/25/04 and 6/25/05 and an additional 40 percent will become exercisable on 6/25/06.</footnote><footnote id="F7">Thirty percent of this option will become exercisable on each of 6/25/05 and 6/25/06 and an additional 40 percent will become exercisable on 6/25/07.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Edward E. Berger</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-27</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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