Other Operating Expenses, Net (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 02, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2016 USD ($) building	Jan. 02, 2015 USD ($) departmental_group facility	Jan. 03, 2014 USD ($)
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Held for sale asset impairment			$ 0	$ 400	$ 900
Acquisition integration related costs accrued	$ 6,200		6,200
Fair value adjustments				840	700
Indefinite-lived assets written-off					(500)
Spinoff [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Professional fees			6,000
Accrued professional fees	500		500
In Process Research And Development [Member] | QiG [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived assets written-off					(500)
Wireless Sensing [Member] | Greatbatch Medical [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Write-off					$ 900
Executive Vice President [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance costs				900
Minimum [Member] | Spinoff [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Transaction costs			10,000
Maximum [Member] | Spinoff [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Transaction costs			12,000
Lake Region Medical [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Acquisition transaction costs	23,700		23,700
Acquisition transactions costs accrued	700		700
Acquisition integration related costs			8,600
Lake Region Medical [Member] | Spinoff [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Transaction costs	57,100	$ 13,000
Lake Region Medical [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	40,000		40,000
Expected capital investment	20,000		20,000
Lake Region Medical [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	50,000		50,000
Expected capital investment	25,000		25,000
Orthopaedic Facility Optimization [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Proceeds from assets held for sale			600
Gain (loss) on assets held for sale			0
Operating Unit Realignment [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Costs to date				$ 6,600
Operating Unit Realignment [Member] | Greatbatch Medical [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Number of sales and marketing groups | departmental_group				1
Number of operation groups | departmental_group				1
Operating Unit Realignment [Member] | Severance And Retention [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Costs to date				$ 5,000
Operating Unit Realignment [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Costs to date				$ 1,600
Legacy Lake Region Medical Consolidation [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Capital investments expended	900		900
Costs to date	2,000		2,000
Number of facility consolidations | facility				2
Legacy Lake Region Medical Consolidation [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected capital expenditures	4,000		4,000
Total expense expected	13,000		13,000
Legacy Lake Region Medical Consolidation [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	8,000		8,000
Legacy Lake Region Medical Consolidation [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	5,000		5,000
Legacy Lake Region Medical Consolidation [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected capital expenditures	5,000		5,000
Total expense expected	15,000		15,000
Legacy Lake Region Medical Consolidation [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	9,000		9,000
Legacy Lake Region Medical Consolidation [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	6,000		6,000
Investments in Capacity and Capabilities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Capital investments expended	21,300		21,300
Costs to date	32,000		32,000
Investments in Capacity and Capabilities [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected capital expenditures	25,000		25,000
Total expense expected	34,000		34,000
Investments in Capacity and Capabilities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Severance And Retention [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	5,000		5,000
Investments in Capacity and Capabilities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Accelerated Depreciation And Asset Write Offs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	2,000		2,000
Investments in Capacity and Capabilities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	27,000		27,000
Investments in Capacity and Capabilities [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected capital expenditures	28,000		28,000
Total expense expected	39,000		39,000
Investments in Capacity and Capabilities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Severance And Retention [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	7,000		7,000
Investments in Capacity and Capabilities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Accelerated Depreciation And Asset Write Offs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	3,000		3,000
Investments in Capacity and Capabilities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	29,000		29,000
Orthopaedic Facility Optimization [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Capital investments expended	28,400		28,400
Costs to date	43,900		$ 43,900
Number of facility consolidations | building			2
Assets held for sale				$ 2,100
Held for sale asset impairment				400
Orthopaedic Facility Optimization [Member] | Swiss Orthopaedic Product Line [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Assets held for sale, expected gain from earn-out payment				$ 2,700
Orthopaedic Facility Optimization [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected capital expenditures	30,000		$ 30,000
Total expense expected	45,000		45,000
Orthopaedic Facility Optimization [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Severance And Retention [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	11,000		11,000
Orthopaedic Facility Optimization [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Accelerated Depreciation And Asset Write Offs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	13,000		13,000
Orthopaedic Facility Optimization [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	21,000		21,000
Orthopaedic Facility Optimization [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected capital expenditures	35,000		35,000
Total expense expected	48,000		48,000
Orthopaedic Facility Optimization [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Total expense expected	$ 24,000		$ 24,000