<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-07-28</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001114200</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS HOLDINGS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AMMD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000929408</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WARBURG PINCUS &amp; CO</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>466 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>NEW YORK</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>100173147</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Sole GP of WPEP</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Voting Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-07-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1658296</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7854168</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Voting Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-07-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>341700</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Warburg, Pincus Equity Partners, L.P. distributed an aggregate of 1,999,996 shares to its limited partners.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The stockholder is Warburg, Pincus Equity Partners, L.P., including three affiliated partnerships (&quot;WPEP&quot;), Warburg, Pincus &amp; Co. (&quot;WP&quot;) is the sole general partner of WPEP.  WPEP is managed by Warburg Pincus LLC (formerly known as E.M. Warburg, Pincus &amp; Co., LLC).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">All shares indicated as owned by the reporting person are included because of its affiliation with the Warburg Pincus entities.  The reporting person may be deemed to have an indirect pecuniary interest (within the meaning of Rule 16a-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) in an indeterminate portion of the shares owned by WPEP.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of all shares owned by the Warburg Pincus entities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Not applicable.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Not applicable.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Scott A. Arenare</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-07-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

