<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-07-24</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001024520</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WORLD HEART CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WHRT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001044321</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARXE AUSTIN W &amp; GREENHOUSE DAVID M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUNDS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>527 MADISON AVENUE, SUITE 2600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-07-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>300</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3060235</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Limited Partnerhships</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This is a joint filing by Austin W. Marxe (Marxe) and David M. Greenhouse (Greenhouse).  They share voting and investment control over all securities owned by Special Situations Fund III QP, L.P (QP), Special Situations Cayman Fund, L.P. (Cayman), Special Situations Private Equity Fund, LP (PE) and Special Situations Life Sciences Fund, L.P.  (LS).  1,467,266 shares of Common Stock are owned by QP, 533,333 shares of CS are owned by Cayman, 533,332 shares of CS are owned by PE and 184,923 shares of CS are owned by LS.  Marxe individually owns 333,333 shares of CS and Greenhouse individually owns 8,048 shares of CS.  The interest of Marxe and Greenhouse in the shares of Common Stock owned by QP, Cayman, PE, LS, Marxe and Greenhouse are limited to the extent of his pecuniary interest.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Austin W. Marxe</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-07-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>David M. Greenhouse</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-07-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
