UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   HEACOX, ALBERT E., PH.D.
   c/o CryoLife, Inc.
   1655 Roberts Boulevard, N.W.
   Kennesaw, GA  30144
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   CRYOLIFE, INC.
   CRY
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)

4. Statement for Month/Year
   12/2001
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)

6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   ( ) Director ( ) 10% Owner (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
   (specify below)
   Sr. Vice President-Laboratory Operations
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person


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 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
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1. Title of Security       |2.    |3.    |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                           | Transaction |  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                           |      |      |                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                           |      |    | |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                           | Date |Code|V|    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Month     |ect(I)|                           |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
                                                                            
Common Stock               |12-17-|M   | |150               |A  |$11.63     |45,000             |I     |(1)                        |
                           |01    |    | |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
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Common Stock               |      |    | |                  |   |           |72,346             |I     |(2)                        |
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Common Stock               |      |    | |                  |   |           |200                |I     |(3)                        |
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Con-  |3.   |4.    |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security            |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                      |or Exer |     |      | rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                      |cise    |     |      | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                      |Price of|     |      | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                      |Deriva- |     |      |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                      |tive    |     |      |       |       |Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                      |Secu-   |     |    | |       |       |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                      |rity    |Date |Code|V|  (A)  |  (D)  |ble  |     |                    |       |Month       |(I)|            |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
                                                                            
Incentive Stock Option|$11.63  |12-17|M   | |       |150    |(4)  |11-26|Common Stock|150    |N/A    |14,850      |D  |            |
                      |        |-01  |    | |       |       |     |-05  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Explanation of Responses:
(1) The 45,000 shares are owned by Dr.  Heacox's  spouse as Virginia  Heacox FBO
Virginia Heacox,  Trustee,  or successor  Trustees of the Virginia Heacox Living
Trust under an agreement dated 10-29-99.
(2) The 72,346 shares are owned by Albert E. Heacox,  Trustee,  Albert E. Heacox
Living Trust under an agreement dated 10-29-99.
(3) Includes  100 shares owned by Albert E. Heacox C/F Rachel K. Heacox  UTMA/GA
and 100  shares  owned by Albert E.  Heacox C/F Daniel A.  Heacox  UTMA/GA.  The
reporting  person disclaims  beneficial  ownership of all securities held by his
daughter  and son, and this report  should not be deemed an  admission  that the
reporting  person is the  beneficial  owner of such  securities  for purposes of
Section 16 or for any other purpose.
(4) Exercisable in five equal annual installments beginning on May 26, 2001.

SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/s/ Albert E. Heacox, Ph.D.
Albert E. Heacox, Ph.D.
DATE
January 9, 2002