EXHIBIT 99.1


                           [LOGO] VASCULAR SOLUTIONS


                                                       NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 3, 2004        Contact: Howard Root, CEO
                                                       James Hennen, CFO
                                                       Vascular Solutions, Inc.
                                                       (763) 656-4300


            VASCULAR SOLUTIONS ENTERS INTO DEFINITIVE AGREEMENTS FOR
                  $6 MILLION PRIVATE PLACEMENT OF COMMON STOCK

         MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota -- Vascular Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq:VASC) today
announced that it has entered into definitive agreements with certain
institutional investors with respect to the sale of 888,900 shares of its common
stock in a private placement at $6.75 per share. Net proceeds for the sale of
these shares are expected to approximate $5.6 million after deducting placement
costs and fees. Net proceeds are intended to be used for working capital and
general corporate purposes. Stephens Inc. and Miller Johnson Steichen Kinnard
acted as placement agents for the transaction.

         "This financing provides added support for our current and future
growth," commented Howard Root, Chief Executive Officer of Vascular Solutions.
"Particularly when viewed with the 762,300 shares we repurchased through the
stock repurchase plan that we concluded in early 2003, this financing provides
additional working capital on extremely favorable terms. The completion of this
financing in no way changes our projections of future revenue growth or our
continuing plans to achieve profitability by the end of 2004."

         The closing of the transaction is subject to normal and customary
closing conditions. Following closing of the private placement, Vascular
Solutions will have 13.9 million shares of common stock outstanding. The shares
of common stock to be sold in the financing have not been registered under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and cannot be offered or sold in the United
States absent registration or an applicable exemption form registration. As part
of the transaction, the Company has agreed to file a registration statement
covering the resale of the shares of common stock issued in the financing.

ABOUT VASCULAR SOLUTIONS

         Vascular Solutions, Inc. is an interventional medical device company
with a focus on sealing technologies. New products introduced in the second half
of 2003 include the Vari-Lase(TM) endovenous laser procedural kit for the
treatment of varicose veins, the D-Stat Dry(TM) hemostatic bandage for the rapid
control oF topical bleeding, the D-Stat Radial(TM) hemostat band for the control
of bleeding following catheterizations utilizing the radial artery in the wrist,
and the Pronto(TM) extraction catheter for the mechanical extraction of soft
thrombus. The Company's other products include the Duett(TM) sealing device to
rapidly seal the puncture sitE following catheterization procedures, the
D-Stat(R) Flowable hemostat which is used in a wide variety of interventional
procedures for the local management of active bleeding, and the


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Acolysis(R) intravascular therapeutic ultrasound product which is sold in
international markets for the treatment of peripheral occlusive arterial
disease.

         The information in this press release contains forward-looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ
materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Important
factors that may cause such differences include those discussed in our Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 and other recent
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The risks and uncertainties
include, without limitation, risks associated with our limited operating
history, need for adoption of our new products, lack of profitability, exposure
to possible intellectual property claims, dependence on key vendors, exposure to
possible product liability claims, the development of new products by others,
doing business in international markets, limited manufacturing experience, the
availability of third party reimbursement, and actions by the FDA related to our
products.

         For further information, connect to www.vascularsolutions.com
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