<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000914190-03-000176
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031128
<FILING-DATE>20031203
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SURMODICS INC
<CIK>0000924717
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2891
<IRS-NUMBER>411356149
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MN
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0930
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>9924 W 74TH ST
<CITY>EDEN PRAIRIE
<STATE>MN
<ZIP>55344
<PHONE>6128292700
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>9924 WEST 74TH ST
<CITY>EDEN PRAIRIE
<STATE>MN
<ZIP>55344
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BSI CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19970506
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>OLSETH DALE R
<CIK>0001077511
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-23837
<FILM-NUMBER>031035388
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>9924 WEST 74TH STREET
<CITY>EDEN PRAIRIE
<STATE>MN
<ZIP>55344
<PHONE>6128292700
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>9924 WEST 74TH STREET
<CITY>EDEN PRAIRIE
<STATE>MN
<ZIP>55344
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-28</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
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        <issuerName>SURMODICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SRDX</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001077511</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OLSETH DALE R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
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            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EDEN PRAIRIE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55344</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
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Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-28</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>100</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>21.21</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Grandchildren's Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>3.875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-09-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.0625</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-09-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>30000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>25.094</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-09-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>14260</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14260</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>29.17</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-03-17</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Exercisable in annual increments of 4,000 shares each commencing 9/21/99.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Exercisable in annual increments of 6,000 shares each commencing 9/20/00.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Exercisable in annual increments of 2,852 shares each commencing 9/18/01.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Exercisable in annual increments of 4,000 shares each commencing 3/17/04.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Dale R. Olseth</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-03</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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