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<div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Washington, D.C. 20549</font></div>
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<div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">FORM 8-K</font></div>
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<div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act</font> <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">of 1934</font></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): November 1, 2011</font></div>
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<div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 20pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">THORATEC CORPORATION</font></div>
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<div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</font></div>
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<div align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">California</font></div>
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<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"> &#160;(State of Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">On November 1, 2011, Thoratec Corporation (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) issued a press release announcing its third quarter ended October 1, 2011 results, the text of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the exhibit, is furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 and shall not be deemed &#8220;filed&#8221; for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that Section. Furthermore, the information in the Current Report on Form 8-K, including the exhibit, shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the filings of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 233.5pt"></font><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Exhibit</font>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Press Release, dated November 1, 2011, regarding results for the third quarter ended October 1, 2011.</font></div>
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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 18pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.</font></div>

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<div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 18pt"></font>Dated as of November 1, 2011</font></div>

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[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "v238749_8k.htm", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 29108}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "THORATEC CORP", "cik": "0000350907", "assigned-sic": "3845", "irs-number": "942340464", "state-of-incorporation": "CA", "fiscal-year-end": "0102"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-49798", "film-number": "111171507"}, "business-address": {"street1": "6035 STONERIDGE DR", "city": "PLEASANTON", "state": "CA", "zip": "94588", "phone": "9258478600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "6035 STONERIDGE DR", "city": "PLEASANTON", "state": "CA", "zip": "94588"}, "former-company": [{"former-conformed-name": "THORATEC CARDIOSYSTEMS INC", "date-changed": "20010220"}, {"former-conformed-name": "THORATEC LABORATORIES CORP", "date-changed": "19920703"}]}
Unassociated Document
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): November 1, 2011
THORATEC CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
California
(State of Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
000-49798
94-2340464
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification
Number)
6035 Stoneridge Drive
Pleasanton, California 94588
(Address of principal executive offices including zip code)
(925) 847-8600
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
________________
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition
On November 1, 2011, Thoratec Corporation (the "Company") issued a press release announcing its third quarter ended October 1, 2011 results, the text of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the exhibit, is furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 and shall not be deemed "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that Section. Furthermore, the information in the Current Report on Form 8-K, including the exhibit, shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the filings of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(c) Exhibits
No.
Exhibit
99.1
Press Release, dated November 1, 2011, regarding results for the third quarter ended October 1, 2011.
Signature
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Dated as of November 1, 2011
THORATEC CORPORATION
By:
/s/
Gerard F. Burbach
Gerard F. Burbach
President and Chief Executive Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX
No.
Exhibit
99.1
Press Release, dated November 1, 2011, regarding results for the third quarter ended October 1, 2011.