<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-03</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001030206</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VASCULAR SOLUTIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VASC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237671</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STEPHENS VASCULAR PREFERRED LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>111 CENTER STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LITTLE ROCK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>72201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>Z</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>147143</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1674323</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By voting trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>Z</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>71551</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>554179</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Stephens Vascular Options, LLC through voting trust.</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Represents withdrawal of shares from voting trust and the distribution of such shares to certain members of the LLC.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Represents withdrawal from voting trust of shares held indirectly by LLC, and the distribution of such shares to certain members of the LLC.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Todd Ferguson as attorney in fact for reporting person</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-03</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

