<PAGE>   1
   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 8, 1997

                                                   Registration No. 333-________
                                                                       
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                             ----------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                    UNDER THE
                             SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             ----------------------


                            CARDIOGENESIS CORPORATION

             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                 DELAWARE                                 77-0352469
       (State or Other Jurisdiction                    (I.R.S. Employer
     of Incorporation or Organization)                Identification No.)

                               540 OAKMEAD PARKWAY
                               SUNNYVALE, CA 94086
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)


                           1996 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                             ----------------------

                                  ALLEN W. HILL
                      PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                            CARDIOGENESIS CORPORATION
                               540 OAKMEAD PARKWAY
                               SUNNYVALE, CA 94086
                                 (408) 328-8500


            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)

                             ----------------------
                                   Copies to:

                              BRUCE W. JENETT, ESQ.
                         KATHERINE TALLMAN SCHUDA, ESQ.
                               FENWICK & WEST LLP
                              TWO PALO ALTO SQUARE
                           PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94306

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
=================================================================================================================================
          TITLE OF SECURITIES             AMOUNT TO BE       PROPOSED MAXIMUM          PROPOSED MAXIMUM          AMOUNT OF
           TO BE REGISTERED                REGISTERED    OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE  AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE  REGISTRATION FEE
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                         <C>                  <C>                  <C>                       <C>          
Common Stock, $0.001 par value              300,000 (1)          $12.50 (2)           $3,750,000.00 (2)         $1,136.37 (3)
=================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
(1)      Additional shares available for grant and not yet subject to
         outstanding stock options as of September 5, 1997 under the 1996 Equity
         Incentive Plan.
(2)      Estimated as of September 3, 1997 pursuant to Rule 457(c) solely for
         the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
(3)      Fee calculated pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Securities Act of 1933,
         as amended. This amount equals 1/33 of 1% of the proposed maximum
         aggregate offering price.


<PAGE>   2

PART II:  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

         Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration
Statement is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") to include an additional 300,000 shares of the Registrant's Common
Stock covered by the Registrant's 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended through
May 28, 1997 (the "Plan"). The contents of the Registrant's Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (Commission File No. 333-04287), previously filed with the
Commission on May 22, 1996, with respect to the Plan are incorporated herein by
reference.

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents filed with the Commission are incorporated
herein by reference:

         (a)      The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
                  year ended December 31, 1996, filed on March 31, 1997 pursuant
                  to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
                  amended (the "Exchange Act"), which Annual Report contains
                  audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended
                  December 31, 1996;

         (b)      The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended March 31, 1997 filed on May 15, 1997 pursuant to Section
                  13(a) of the Exchange Act; and

         (c)      The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended June 30, 1997 filed on August 14, 1997 pursuant to
                  Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.


         All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from
the date of the filing of such documents.


ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

<TABLE>
<S>            <C>                                   
     4.01      CardioGenesis Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended
               through May 28, 1997.
     4.02      Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common Stock. (1)
     4.03      Registrant's Second Restated Investors' Rights Agreement. (2)
     5.01      Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.
    23.01      Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit 5.01).
    23.02      Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., Independent Accountants.
    24.01      Power of Attorney (see page 3).
</TABLE>
- ---------------------------
         (1)      Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.01 to Registrant's
                  Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333-3752-LA)
                  initially filed on April 17, 1996, and as subsequently
                  amended (the "Form SB-2").
         (2)      Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.02 to the Form SB-2.

   
                                       -2-
<PAGE>   3

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Sunnyvale, State of California, on this 31st day of
August, 1997.

                                    CARDIOGENESIS CORPORATION


                                    By:  /s/ Allen W. Hill
                                       --------------------------
                                         Allen W. Hill,
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Allen W. Hill and Richard P. Powers, and
each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power
of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same with all
exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to
all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his or
their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.
         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
             Signature                                      Title                              Date
             ---------                                      -----                              ----

<S>                                              <C>                                      <C>          
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
  AND DIRECTOR:

/s/ Allen W. Hill                                President, Chief Executive               August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------         Officer and Director
Allen W. Hill 

PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER
  AND PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER:

/s/ Richard P. Powers                            Vice President of Finance and            August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
Richard P. Powers                                Administration, Chief Financial
                                                 Officer and Secretary
ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS:

/s/ David B. Apfelberg                           Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
David B. Apfelberg

/s/ Jack M. Gill                                 Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
Jack M. Gill

/s/ David C. Hull, Jr.                           Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
David C. Hull, Jr.

/s/ Thomas D. Kiley                              Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
Thomas D. Kiley

/s/ F. Thomas (Jay) Watkins III                  Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
F. Thomas (Jay) Watkins III
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   4

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  Exhibit No.                        Description
  -----------                        -----------
<S>             <C>                                    
      4.01      CardioGenesis Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended
                through May 28, 1997.

      4.02      Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common Stock.(1)

      4.03      Registrant's Second Restated Investors' Rights Agreement.(2)

      5.01      Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

     23.01      Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit 5.01).

     23.02      Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., Independent Accountants.

     24.01      Power of Attorney (see page 3).
- ---------------------------
</TABLE>

         (1)      Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.01 to Registrant's
                  Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333-3752-LA)
                  initially filed on April 17, 1996, and as subsequently
                  amended (the "Form SB-2").

         (2)      Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.02 to the Form SB-2.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 11745}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CARDIOGENESIS CORP", "cik": "0001013465", "assigned-sic": "3845", "irs-number": "770352469", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "file-number": "333-35095", "film-number": "97676424"}, "business-address": {"street1": "3110 CORONADO AVE", "city": "SANTA CLARA", "state": "CA", "zip": "95054", "phone": "4083288500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "CARDIOGENESIS CORP", "street2": "540 OAKMEAD PKWY", "city": "SUNNYVALE", "state": "CA", "zip": "94086"}}
1
   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 8, 1997

                                                   Registration No. 333-________
                                                                       
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                             ----------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                    UNDER THE
                             SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             ----------------------

                            CARDIOGENESIS CORPORATION

             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                 DELAWARE                                 77-0352469
       (State or Other Jurisdiction                    (I.R.S. Employer
     of Incorporation or Organization)                Identification No.)

                               540 OAKMEAD PARKWAY
                               SUNNYVALE, CA 94086
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                           1996 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                             ----------------------

                                  ALLEN W. HILL
                      PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                            CARDIOGENESIS CORPORATION
                               540 OAKMEAD PARKWAY
                               SUNNYVALE, CA 94086
                                 (408) 328-8500

            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)

                             ----------------------
                                   Copies to:

                              BRUCE W. JENETT, ESQ.
                         KATHERINE TALLMAN SCHUDA, ESQ.
                               FENWICK & WEST LLP
                              TWO PALO ALTO SQUARE
                           PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA 94306

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
=================================================================================================================================
          TITLE OF SECURITIES             AMOUNT TO BE       PROPOSED MAXIMUM          PROPOSED MAXIMUM          AMOUNT OF
           TO BE REGISTERED                REGISTERED    OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE  AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE  REGISTRATION FEE
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, $0.001 par value              300,000 (1)          $12.50 (2)           $3,750,000.00 (2)         $1,136.37 (3)
=================================================================================================================================
(1)      Additional shares available for grant and not yet subject to
         outstanding stock options as of September 5, 1997 under the 1996 Equity
         Incentive Plan.
(2)      Estimated as of September 3, 1997 pursuant to Rule 457(c) solely for
         the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
(3)      Fee calculated pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Securities Act of 1933,
         as amended. This amount equals 1/33 of 1% of the proposed maximum
         aggregate offering price.
2

PART II:  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

         Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration
Statement is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") to include an additional 300,000 shares of the Registrant's Common
Stock covered by the Registrant's 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended through
May 28, 1997 (the "Plan"). The contents of the Registrant's Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (Commission File No. 333-04287), previously filed with the
Commission on May 22, 1996, with respect to the Plan are incorporated herein by
reference.

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents filed with the Commission are incorporated
herein by reference:

         (a)      The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
                  year ended December 31, 1996, filed on March 31, 1997 pursuant
                  to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
                  amended (the "Exchange Act"), which Annual Report contains
                  audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended
                  December 31, 1996;

         (b)      The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended March 31, 1997 filed on May 15, 1997 pursuant to Section
                  13(a) of the Exchange Act; and

         (c)      The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended June 30, 1997 filed on August 14, 1997 pursuant to
                  Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

         All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from
the date of the filing of such documents.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.
4.01      CardioGenesis Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended
               through May 28, 1997.
     4.02      Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common Stock. (1)
     4.03      Registrant's Second Restated Investors' Rights Agreement. (2)
     5.01      Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.
    23.01      Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit 5.01).
    23.02      Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., Independent Accountants.
    24.01      Power of Attorney (see page 3).
- ---------------------------
         (1)      Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.01 to Registrant's
                  Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333-3752-LA)
                  initially filed on April 17, 1996, and as subsequently
                  amended (the "Form SB-2").
         (2)      Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.02 to the Form SB-2.

   
                                       -2-
3

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Sunnyvale, State of California, on this 31st day of
August, 1997.

                                    CARDIOGENESIS CORPORATION

                                    By:  /s/ Allen W. Hill
                                       --------------------------
                                         Allen W. Hill,
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Allen W. Hill and Richard P. Powers, and
each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power
of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same with all
exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to
all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his or
their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.
         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                                      Title                              Date
             ---------                                      -----                              ----
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
  AND DIRECTOR:

/s/ Allen W. Hill                                President, Chief Executive               August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------         Officer and Director
Allen W. Hill 

PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER
  AND PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER:

/s/ Richard P. Powers                            Vice President of Finance and            August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
Richard P. Powers                                Administration, Chief Financial
                                                 Officer and Secretary
ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS:

/s/ David B. Apfelberg                           Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
David B. Apfelberg

/s/ Jack M. Gill                                 Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
Jack M. Gill

/s/ David C. Hull, Jr.                           Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
David C. Hull, Jr.

/s/ Thomas D. Kiley                              Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
Thomas D. Kiley

/s/ F. Thomas (Jay) Watkins III                  Director                                 August 31, 1997
- ----------------------------------------
F. Thomas (Jay) Watkins III
4

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.                        Description
  -----------                        -----------
4.01      CardioGenesis Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended
                through May 28, 1997.

      4.02      Form of specimen certificate for Registrant's Common Stock.(1)

      4.03      Registrant's Second Restated Investors' Rights Agreement.(2)

      5.01      Opinion of Fenwick & West LLP.

     23.01      Consent of Fenwick & West LLP (included in Exhibit 5.01).

     23.02      Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., Independent Accountants.

     24.01      Power of Attorney (see page 3).
- ---------------------------
(1)      Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.01 to Registrant's
                  Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333-3752-LA)
                  initially filed on April 17, 1996, and as subsequently
                  amended (the "Form SB-2").

         (2)      Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.02 to the Form SB-2.