Represents the amount of the accelerated share repurchase agreement entered into by the entity with an investment bank.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the actual payment amount made to the investment bank for the ASR agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of shares repurchased as a percentage of the shares expected to be repurchased under ASR agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Final price paid per share for the purchase of the targeted number of shares, determined by an average market price over a fixed period of time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)

-Number 99-7

-Paragraph 1

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The price paid per share to immediately purchase the targeted number of shares on the date of executing the accelerated share repurchase agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AcceleratedShareRepurchasesInitialPricePaidPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AcceleratedShareRepurchasesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 12

-Paragraph 10

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

ACCELERATED SHARE REPURCHASE (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012 Accelerated share repurchase agreement February 2012	Feb. 29, 2012 Accelerated share repurchase agreement February 2012	Mar. 31, 2012 Accelerated share repurchase agreement February 2012	Jun. 30, 2012 Accelerated share repurchase agreement February 2012	Jun. 30, 2012 Accelerated share repurchase agreement May 2012	May 31, 2012 Accelerated share repurchase agreement May 2012	Sep. 30, 2012 Accelerated share repurchase agreement May 2012
Accelerated share repurchase
Purchase price of the entity's common stock agreed to under the ASR agreement		$ 54.0				$ 50.0
Cash payment for share repurchase under ASR agreement	$ 54.0				$ 50.0
Shares received under the ASR agreement during the period			0.6	0.7	0.5		0.5
Initial share value (in dollars per share)	$ 72.40				$ 84.81
Number of shares repurchased as a percentage of the of shares expected to be repurchased under ASR agreement	80.00%				80.00%
Average price paid (in dollars per share)				$ 75.12			$ 97.50