<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000885725-04-000141
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20011030
<FILING-DATE>20040429
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORP
<CIK>0000885725
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3841
<IRS-NUMBER>042695240
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE BOSTON SCIENTIFIC PL
<CITY>NATICK
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01760-1537
<PHONE>5086508000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MARIO ERNEST
<CIK>0001180469
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-11083
<FILM-NUMBER>04765981
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>RELIANT PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC
<STREET2>110 ALLEN ROAD
<CITY>LIBERTY CORNER
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07938
<PHONE>(908)580-1200
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>RELIANT PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC
<STREET2>110 ALLEN ROAD
<CITY>LIBERTY CORNER
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07938
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2001-10-30</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2001-11-09</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000885725</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BSX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001180469</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARIO ERNEST</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O  BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE BOSTON SCIENTIFIC PLACE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NATICK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01760</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2001-10-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The share number has been adjusted to reflect the Company's two-for-one stock split which became effective on November 5, 2003.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These shares were granted to the reporting person upon his election to the Board of Directors and deferred under the Company's Deferred Compensation Program.  The shares were reported as being directly owned for the reporting person's October 2001 Form 4.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Lawrence J. Knopf, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-04-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
