Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Common Shares [Member]	Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Treasury Shares [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 6,551.7	$ 2.7	$ 4,330.7	$ 8,362.1	$ 38.1	$ (6,183.7)	$ 1.8
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2014		268.4				(98.7)
Net earnings	146.2			147.0			(0.8)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(366.6)				(367.1)		0.5
Cash dividends declared	(164.4)			(164.4)
Stock compensation plans	149.8		142.2	3.0		$ 4.6
Stock compensation plans, shares		1.6				0.1
Share repurchases	(150.0)					$ (150.0)
Share repurchases, shares						(1.4)
Biomet merger consideration	3,722.7	$ 0.3	3,722.4
Biomet merger consideration, shares		32.7
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	9,889.4	$ 3.0	8,195.3	8,347.7	(329.0)	$ (6,329.1)	1.5
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015		302.7				(100.0)
Net earnings	304.6			305.9			(1.3)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(104.2)				(105.0)		0.8
Cash dividends declared	(191.9)			(191.9)
Stock compensation plans	187.5	$ 0.1	173.2	5.4		$ 8.8
Stock compensation plans, shares		2.0				0.1
Share repurchases	$ (415.5)					$ (415.5)
Share repurchases, shares	(4.2)					(4.2)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 9,669.9	$ 3.1	8,368.5	8,467.1	(434.0)	$ (6,735.8)	1.0
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016		304.7				(104.1)
Net earnings	1,813.4			1,813.8			(0.4)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	349.9				350.8		(0.9)
Cash dividends declared	(194.1)			(194.1)
Retrospective adoption ofnew accounting standard	(77.8)			(77.8)
Stock compensation plans	174.2		146.4	13.8		$ 14.0
Stock compensation plans, shares		1.8				0.2
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 11,735.5	$ 3.1	$ 8,514.9	$ 10,022.8	$ (83.2)	$ (6,721.8)	$ (0.3)
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2017		306.5				(103.9)