<PAGE>   1
    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 23, 2001
                                                     Registration No. 333-______


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                    -----------------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        Under The Securities Act of 1933
                  --------------------------------------------

                            VASCULAR SOLUTIONS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                 Minnesota                               41-1859679
      (State or other jurisdiction of       (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
       incorporation or organization)
           2495 Xenium Lane North                          55441
           Minneapolis, Minnesota                        (Zip Code)
  (Address of principal executive offices)

           VASCULAR SOLUTIONS, INC. STOCK OPTION AND STOCK AWARD PLAN
              VASCULAR SOLUTIONS, INC. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plans)

                                                            Copy to:
            Howard C. Root                              Timothy S. Hearn
       Vascular Solutions, Inc.                       Dorsey & Whitney LLP
        2495 Xenium Lane North                       Pillsbury Center South
     Minneapolis, Minnesota 55441                    220 South Sixth Street
(Name and address of agent for service)        Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-1498

                                 (763) 656-4300
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Proposed Maximum        Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities to      Amount to be          Offering Price            Aggregate              Amount of
     be Registered         Registered (1)          Per Share (2)        Offering Price (2)      Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                       <C>                    <C>                    <C>                     <C>
     common stock         4,000,000 shares             $7.04                $28,161,245              $7,045
   ($.01 par value)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)      Pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this
         Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests
         to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plans described
         herein.

(2)      Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in
         accordance with Rule 457(h)(1) and (c). The proposed maximum aggregate
         offering price has been calculated as follows: options to purchase
         1,292,291 shares have been issued with an approximate weighted average
         stock exercise price of $6.47; and the stock exercise price with
         respect to 2,707,709 shares that are being registered herein but remain
         unissued is based upon $7.31 which represents the average of the high
         and low prices of the common stock as reported on the Nasdaq National
         Market on January 19, 2001.


<PAGE>   2



                                    PART II.
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The following documents which have been filed by Vascular Solutions,
Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated by reference
in this registration statement:

         (a)      Our prospectus filed on July 20, 2000, pursuant to Rule 424(b)
                  of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with
                  registration statement No. 333-84089 on Form S-1 in which
                  there is set forth audited financial statements for Vascular
                  Solutions' fiscal years ended December 31, 1999 and 1998;

         (b)      Our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June
                  30 and September 30, 2000; and

         (c)      The description of our common stock contained in our
                  registration statement on Form 8-A dated October 12, 1999, and
                  any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such
                  description filed subsequent to the date of this registration
                  statement on Form S-8 and prior to the termination of the
                  offering described herein.

         All documents filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the date hereof and
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to
be a part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such documents. Any
statement contained herein or in a document all or part of which is incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified
or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a
statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is
or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration
statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Not applicable.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Section 302A.521 of the Minnesota Statutes provides that a corporation
shall indemnify any person made or threatened to be made a party to a proceeding
by reason of the former or present official capacity of such person against
judgments, penalties, fines (including, without limitation, excise taxes
assessed against such person with respect to any employee benefit plan),
settlements and reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees and
disbursements, incurred by such person in connection with the proceeding, if,
with respect to the acts or omissions of such person complained of in the
proceeding, such person (1) has not been indemnified therefor by another
organization or employee benefit plan for the same judgments, penalties or
fines; (2) acted in good faith; (3) received no improper personal benefit and
Section 302A.255 (with respect to director conflicts of interest), if
applicable, has been satisfied; (4) in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe the conduct was unlawful; and (5) in the case of
acts or omissions in such person's official capacity for the corporation,
reasonably believed that the conduct was in the best interests of the
corporation, or in the case of acts or omissions in such person's official
capacity for other affiliated organizations, reasonably believed that the
conduct was not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. Section
302A.521 also requires payment by a corporation, upon written request, of
reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of the proceeding in certain
instances. A


<PAGE>   3


decision as to required indemnification is made by a disinterested majority of
the Board of Directors present at a meeting at which a disinterested quorum is
present, or by a designated committee of the Board, by special legal counsel, by
the shareholders or by a court.

         Article IX of Vascular Solutions' bylaws provide that Vascular
Solutions shall indemnify officers and directors to the extent permitted by
Section 302A.521 as now enacted or hereafter amended.

         Vascular Solutions maintains a policy of directors' and officers'
liability insurance that insures Vascular Solutions' directors and officers
against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment under certain
circumstances.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

         4.1      Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Vascular
                  Solutions, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to
                  Vascular Solutions' Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September
                  30, 2000).

         4.2      Bylaws of Vascular Solutions, Inc. (incorporated by reference
                  to Exhibit 3.2 of Vascular Solutions' Registration Statement
                  on Form S-1 (File No. 333-84089)).

         4.3      Specimen of Common Stock certificate (incorporated by
                  reference to Exhibit 4.1 of Vascular Solutions' Registration
                  Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-84089)).

         10.1     Vascular Solutions, Inc. Stock Option and Stock Award Plan, as
                  amended.

         10.2     Vascular Solutions, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as
                  amended.

         5.1      Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney LLP.

         23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

         23.2     Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

         24.1     Power of Attorney (included on signature page).

Item 9.  Undertakings.

         (a)      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
         being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                           (i) To include any prospectus required by Section
                  10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

                           (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                  arising after the effective date of the registration statement
                  (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
                  individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
                  change in the information set forth in the registration
                  statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
                  decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar
                  value of securities would not exceed that which was


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   4


                  registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the
                  estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form
                  of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange
                  Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
                  changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20%
                  change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in
                  the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective
                  registration statement; and

                           (iii) To include any material information with
                  respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed
                  in the registration statement or any material change to such
                  information in the registration statement;

         Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above will
         not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8, or
         Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a
         post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic
         reports filed with or furnished by the registrant pursuant to Section
         13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
         incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
         the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be
         deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
         offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall
         be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
         amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
         the termination of the offering.

                           (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes
                  that, for purposes of determining any liability under the
                  Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual
                  report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
                  Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by
                  reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be
                  a new registration statement relating to the securities
                  offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
                  time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
                  thereof.

                           (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities
                  arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to
                  directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant
                  pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
                  registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
                  Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
                  against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
                  is, therefor, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
                  indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
                  payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a
                  director, officer or other controlling person of the
                  registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
                  proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
                  controlling person in connection with the securities being
                  registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its
                  counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
                  submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question
                  whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
                  expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
                  final adjudication of such issue.


                                      -3-

<PAGE>   5


                                   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 Minneapolis, State of Minnesota, on the 23rd day of
January, 2001.

                                              VASCULAR SOLUTIONS, INC.


                                              By: /s/ Howard Root
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                  Howard Root
                                                  Chief Executive Officer

         KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Howard Root and Jerry Johnson and each of
them acting individually, as such person's true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, each with full power of substitution, for such person, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement, and to file same, with all exhibits thereto and
other 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 connection therewith, as fully to all
intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of
them, or their or his or her substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue
thereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed on the 23rd day of January, 2001, by the
following persons in the capacities indicated.

                Signature                                 Title
                ---------                                 -----

            /s/ Howard Root                 Chief Executive Officer and Director
----------------------------------------    (principal executive officer)
               Howard Root

           /s/ Jerry Johnson                Chief Financial Officer
----------------------------------------    (principal financial officer and
              Jerry Johnson                 principal accounting officer)

           /s/ Gary Gershony                Director
----------------------------------------
             Gary Gershony

          /s/ Gerald Langeler               Director
----------------------------------------
             Gerald Langeler

          /s/ James Jacoby, Jr.             Director
----------------------------------------
            James Jacoby, Jr.

            /s/ Richard Nigon               Director
----------------------------------------
              Richard Nigon

            /s/ Michael Kopp                Director
----------------------------------------
               Michael Kopp


                                      -4-

<PAGE>   6


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit

4.1      Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Vascular Solutions,
         Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Vascular Solutions'
         Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2000).

4.2      Bylaws of Vascular Solutions, Inc. (incorporated by reference to
         Exhibit 3.2 of Vascular Solutions' Registration Statement on Form S-1
         (File No. 333-84089)).

4.3      Specimen of Common Stock certificate (incorporated by reference to
         Exhibit 4.1 of Vascular Solutions' Registration Statement on Form S-1
         (File No. 333-84089)).

10.1     Vascular Solutions, Inc. Stock Option and Stock Award Plan, as amended.

10.2     Vascular Solutions, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended.

5.1      Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney LLP.

23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

23.2     Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1     Power of Attorney (included on signature page).
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "c59660s-8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19429}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "VASCULAR SOLUTIONS INC", "cik": "0001030206", "assigned-sic": "3841", "irs-number": "411859679", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-54164", "film-number": "1513458"}, "business-address": {"street1": "2495 XENIUM LANE NORTH", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55441", "phone": "6125532970"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "2495 XENIUM LANE NORTH", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55441"}}
1
    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 23, 2001
                                                     Registration No. 333-______

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                    -----------------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        Under The Securities Act of 1933
                  --------------------------------------------

                            VASCULAR SOLUTIONS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                 Minnesota                               41-1859679
      (State or other jurisdiction of       (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
       incorporation or organization)
           2495 Xenium Lane North                          55441
           Minneapolis, Minnesota                        (Zip Code)
  (Address of principal executive offices)

           VASCULAR SOLUTIONS, INC. STOCK OPTION AND STOCK AWARD PLAN
              VASCULAR SOLUTIONS, INC. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plans)

                                                            Copy to:
            Howard C. Root                              Timothy S. Hearn
       Vascular Solutions, Inc.                       Dorsey & Whitney LLP
        2495 Xenium Lane North                       Pillsbury Center South
     Minneapolis, Minnesota 55441                    220 South Sixth Street
(Name and address of agent for service)        Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-1498

                                 (763) 656-4300
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Proposed Maximum        Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities to      Amount to be          Offering Price            Aggregate              Amount of
     be Registered         Registered (1)          Per Share (2)        Offering Price (2)      Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
common stock         4,000,000 shares             $7.04                $28,161,245              $7,045
   ($.01 par value)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)      Pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this
         Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests
         to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plans described
         herein.

(2)      Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in
         accordance with Rule 457(h)(1) and (c). The proposed maximum aggregate
         offering price has been calculated as follows: options to purchase
         1,292,291 shares have been issued with an approximate weighted average
         stock exercise price of $6.47; and the stock exercise price with
         respect to 2,707,709 shares that are being registered herein but remain
         unissued is based upon $7.31 which represents the average of the high
         and low prices of the common stock as reported on the Nasdaq National
         Market on January 19, 2001.
2

                                    PART II.
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The following documents which have been filed by Vascular Solutions,
Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated by reference
in this registration statement:

         (a)      Our prospectus filed on July 20, 2000, pursuant to Rule 424(b)
                  of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with
                  registration statement No. 333-84089 on Form S-1 in which
                  there is set forth audited financial statements for Vascular
                  Solutions' fiscal years ended December 31, 1999 and 1998;

         (b)      Our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June
                  30 and September 30, 2000; and

         (c)      The description of our common stock contained in our
                  registration statement on Form 8-A dated October 12, 1999, and
                  any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such
                  description filed subsequent to the date of this registration
                  statement on Form S-8 and prior to the termination of the
                  offering described herein.

         All documents filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the date hereof and
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities
remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to
be a part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such documents. Any
statement contained herein or in a document all or part of which is incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified
or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a
statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is
or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration
statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Not applicable.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Section 302A.521 of the Minnesota Statutes provides that a corporation
shall indemnify any person made or threatened to be made a party to a proceeding
by reason of the former or present official capacity of such person against
judgments, penalties, fines (including, without limitation, excise taxes
assessed against such person with respect to any employee benefit plan),
settlements and reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees and
disbursements, incurred by such person in connection with the proceeding, if,
with respect to the acts or omissions of such person complained of in the
proceeding, such person (1) has not been indemnified therefor by another
organization or employee benefit plan for the same judgments, penalties or
fines; (2) acted in good faith; (3) received no improper personal benefit and
Section 302A.255 (with respect to director conflicts of interest), if
applicable, has been satisfied; (4) in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe the conduct was unlawful; and (5) in the case of
acts or omissions in such person's official capacity for the corporation,
reasonably believed that the conduct was in the best interests of the
corporation, or in the case of acts or omissions in such person's official
capacity for other affiliated organizations, reasonably believed that the
conduct was not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. Section
302A.521 also requires payment by a corporation, upon written request, of
reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of the proceeding in certain
instances. A
3

decision as to required indemnification is made by a disinterested majority of
the Board of Directors present at a meeting at which a disinterested quorum is
present, or by a designated committee of the Board, by special legal counsel, by
the shareholders or by a court.

         Article IX of Vascular Solutions' bylaws provide that Vascular
Solutions shall indemnify officers and directors to the extent permitted by
Section 302A.521 as now enacted or hereafter amended.

         Vascular Solutions maintains a policy of directors' and officers'
liability insurance that insures Vascular Solutions' directors and officers
against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment under certain
circumstances.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

         4.1      Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Vascular
                  Solutions, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to
                  Vascular Solutions' Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September
                  30, 2000).

         4.2      Bylaws of Vascular Solutions, Inc. (incorporated by reference
                  to Exhibit 3.2 of Vascular Solutions' Registration Statement
                  on Form S-1 (File No. 333-84089)).

         4.3      Specimen of Common Stock certificate (incorporated by
                  reference to Exhibit 4.1 of Vascular Solutions' Registration
                  Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-84089)).

         10.1     Vascular Solutions, Inc. Stock Option and Stock Award Plan, as
                  amended.

         10.2     Vascular Solutions, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as
                  amended.

         5.1      Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney LLP.

         23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

         23.2     Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

         24.1     Power of Attorney (included on signature page).

Item 9.  Undertakings.

         (a)      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
         being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                           (i) To include any prospectus required by Section
                  10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

                           (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                  arising after the effective date of the registration statement
                  (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
                  individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
                  change in the information set forth in the registration
                  statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
                  decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar
                  value of securities would not exceed that which was

                                      -2-
4

                  registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the
                  estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form
                  of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange
                  Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
                  changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20%
                  change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in
                  the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective
                  registration statement; and

                           (iii) To include any material information with
                  respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed
                  in the registration statement or any material change to such
                  information in the registration statement;

         Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above will
         not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8, or
         Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a
         post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic
         reports filed with or furnished by the registrant pursuant to Section
         13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
         incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
         the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be
         deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
         offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall
         be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
         amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
         the termination of the offering.

                           (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes
                  that, for purposes of determining any liability under the
                  Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual
                  report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
                  Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by
                  reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be
                  a new registration statement relating to the securities
                  offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
                  time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
                  thereof.

                           (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities
                  arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to
                  directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant
                  pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
                  registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
                  Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
                  against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
                  is, therefor, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
                  indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
                  payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a
                  director, officer or other controlling person of the
                  registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
                  proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
                  controlling person in connection with the securities being
                  registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its
                  counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
                  submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question
                  whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
                  expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
                  final adjudication of such issue.

                                      -3-
5

                                   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 Minneapolis, State of Minnesota, on the 23rd day of
January, 2001.

                                              VASCULAR SOLUTIONS, INC.

                                              By: /s/ Howard Root
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                  Howard Root
                                                  Chief Executive Officer

         KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Howard Root and Jerry Johnson and each of
them acting individually, as such person's true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, each with full power of substitution, for such person, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement, and to file same, with all exhibits thereto and
other 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 connection therewith, as fully to all
intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of
them, or their or his or her substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue
thereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed on the 23rd day of January, 2001, by the
following persons in the capacities indicated.

                Signature                                 Title
                ---------                                 -----

            /s/ Howard Root                 Chief Executive Officer and Director
----------------------------------------    (principal executive officer)
               Howard Root

           /s/ Jerry Johnson                Chief Financial Officer
----------------------------------------    (principal financial officer and
              Jerry Johnson                 principal accounting officer)

           /s/ Gary Gershony                Director
----------------------------------------
             Gary Gershony

          /s/ Gerald Langeler               Director
----------------------------------------
             Gerald Langeler

          /s/ James Jacoby, Jr.             Director
----------------------------------------
            James Jacoby, Jr.

            /s/ Richard Nigon               Director
----------------------------------------
              Richard Nigon

            /s/ Michael Kopp                Director
----------------------------------------
               Michael Kopp

                                      -4-
6

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit

4.1      Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Vascular Solutions,
         Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Vascular Solutions'
         Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2000).

4.2      Bylaws of Vascular Solutions, Inc. (incorporated by reference to
         Exhibit 3.2 of Vascular Solutions' Registration Statement on Form S-1
         (File No. 333-84089)).

4.3      Specimen of Common Stock certificate (incorporated by reference to
         Exhibit 4.1 of Vascular Solutions' Registration Statement on Form S-1
         (File No. 333-84089)).

10.1     Vascular Solutions, Inc. Stock Option and Stock Award Plan, as amended.

10.2     Vascular Solutions, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended.

5.1      Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney LLP.

23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

23.2     Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1     Power of Attorney (included on signature page).