Exhibit 23



                         Consent of Independent Auditors

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Annual Report (Form 10-K)
of ATS Medical, Inc. of our report dated February 2, 2001, included in the 2000
Annual Report to Shareholders of ATS Medical, Inc.

Our audit also included the financial statement schedule of ATS Medical, Inc.
listed in Item 14(a). This schedule is the responsibility of the Company's
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on our audits. In
our opinion, the financial statement schedule referred to above, when considered
in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly
in all material respects the information set forth therein.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements
on Form S-8 No. 333-55154 pertaining to the ATS Medical, Inc. 2000 Stock
Incentive Plan, Form S-8 No. 333-49985 pertaining to the 1998 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan, Form S-8 Nos. 33-44940 and 333-49985 pertaining to the 1987 Stock
Option and Stock Award Plan of ATS Medical, Inc. (formerly Helix BioCore, Inc.),
Form S-3 No. 333-43360 pertaining to the registration of 2,727,273 shares of ATS
Medical, Inc. common stock, and Form S-3 No. 333-39288 pertaining to the
registration of 1,100,000 shares of ATS Medical, Inc. common stock, of our
report dated February 2, 2001, with respect to the consolidated financial
statements incorporated herein by reference, and our report included in the
preceding paragraph with respect to the financial statement schedule included in
the Annual Report (Form 10-K) of ATS Medical, Inc.

                                                           /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 27, 2001