Business - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 Segment	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Apr. 24, 2014	May 31, 2014
Organization [Line Items]
Number of geographic segments	3
Consideration paid, cash	$ 54,300,000	$ 74,200,000	$ 59,000,000
Bridge Credit Agreement [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Debt instrument term	364 days
Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Bridge loan					7,660,000,000
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Senior Unsecured Term Loan [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Senior unsecured term loan and notes				3,000,000,000
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Senior Unsecured Note [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Senior unsecured term loan and notes				7,660,000,000
LVB Acquisition Inc [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Date of merger agreement				Apr. 24, 2014
LVB Acquisition Inc [Member] | Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Total consideration				13,350,000,000
Consideration paid, cash				10,350,000,000
Consideration paid, shares				32.7
Consideration paid, common stock value				3,000,000,000
Consideration paid, common stock price				91.73
Musculo Skeletal Industry [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Net worth				45,000,000,000
Minimum [Member]
Organization [Line Items]
Number of countries in which company operates	25
Number of countries in which company markets the products	100