[ATS MEDICAL LOGO]

Contacts:
ATS Medical, Inc.
Michael Dale
President and CEO, 763-557-2224
Jack Judd
CFO, 763-557-2222

EVC Group
Douglas Sherk, 415-896-6820
Jennifer Beugelmans, 415-896-6820


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


            ATS MEDICAL ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF $19 MILLION CONVERTIBLE
                              SENIOR NOTE OFFERING


MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 7, 2005---ATS Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATSI) developer,
manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art cardiac surgery products and
services, today announced the sale of $19 million of 6% Convertible Notes due
2025 in a private placement.

"We believe that this successful offering will provide us increased financial
flexibility to continue our strategy to establish ATS Medical as the leading
provider of technologies used by the cardiac surgeon," said Michael Dale,
Chairman, President and CEO. "Over the past 18 months, we have successfully
expanded our franchise to include five innovative product opportunities in
addition to our core product, the ATS Open Pivot(R) mechanical heart valve. This
strategy leverages our cost structure while expanding our revenue base. The
resources provided by this offering will allow us to opportunistically pursue
additional new business development."

The notes bear interest of 6% per year payable on April 15 and October 15 of
each year commencing with April 15, 2006, and mature on October 15, 2025. The
notes are convertible to common stock at any time at a fixed conversion price of
$4.20 per share. If fully converted, the Notes would convert into approximately
4,524,000 shares of the Company's common stock The conversion price represents a
premium of 12% to the closing price of ATS Medical's common stock on October 6,
2005, which was $3.75. If the notes are converted under certain circumstances
prior to October 15, 2008, the Company will pay the purchasers the interest they
would have received on the notes through that date. The Company has the right to
redeem the notes at par plus accrued interest at any time after October 20, 2008
and the purchasers have the right to require the







Company to repurchase the notes at par plus accrued interest on October 15 in
2010, 2015 and 2020. The Company also issued to the purchasers of the notes
warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1,140,000 shares of common stock at the
rate of 60 warrants per $1,000 of principal amount of notes purchased. The
warrants are exercisable at $4.40 per share, and expire in 2010. ATS Medical has
also granted each of the purchasers a 120-day option to purchase its pro-rata
portion of an additional $4,750,000 of notes and related warrants to purchase
285,000 shares of common stock. The Company has also agreed to file within 30
days a registration statement with the SEC covering the resale of the notes, the
warrants and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes and exercise
of the warrants. The Company plans to use the proceeds for working capital,
capital expenditures, and potential acquisitions of complementary companies or
technologies. Piper Jaffray & Co. served as the exclusive placement agent for
the offering.

ABOUT ATS MEDICAL

ATS Medical manufactures and markets products and services focused on cardiac
surgery. It is headquartered in Minneapolis and is global in scope with sales in
more than 61 countries. More than 100,000 ATS Open Pivot heart valves, which
utilize a unique pivot design resulting in exceptional clinical performance and
a lower risk profile, have been implanted in patients worldwide. The ATS Medical
web site is http://www.atsmedical.com.

SAFE HARBOR

This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that may include
statements regarding intent, belief or current expectations of the Company and
its management. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in
the forward looking statements as a result of a number of important factors,
including regulatory actions, competition, pricing pressures, supplier actions
and management of growth. For a discussion of these and other risks and
uncertainties that could affect the Company's activities and results, please
refer to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission to
its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004.



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