EXHIBIT 23.1

                              Accountants' Consent



The Board of Directors
CryoLife, Inc.



We consent to incorporation  by reference in the  registration  statements (Nos.
33-83996,  33- 84048,  333-03513  and  333-06141)  on Form S-8 and  registration
statement  (No.  333-16581)  on Form S-3 of CryoLife,  Inc. of our reports dated
February 14, 1996, relating to the consolidated balance sheet of CryoLife,  Inc.
and  subsidiaries  as  of  December  31,  1995,  and  the  related  consolidated
statements of income,  shareholders' equity, and cash flows and related schedule
for each of the years,  in the two-year  period ended  December 31, 1995,  which
reports  appear in the December 31, 1996 annual report on Form 10-K of CryoLife,
Inc.



                                                     KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP
                                                     KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP


Atlanta, Georgia
March 28, 1997