Description of Business and Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business	Description of Business NuVasive, Inc. (the “Company” or “NuVasive”) was incorporated in Delaware on July 21, 1997, and began commercializing its products in 2001. The Company’s principal product offering includes a minimally-disruptive surgical platform called Maximum Access Surgery, or MAS. The MAS platform combines three categories of solutions that collectively minimize soft tissue disruption during spine fusion surgery, provide maximum visualization and are designed to enable safe and reproducible outcomes for the surgeon and the patient. The platform includes our proprietary software-driven nerve detection and avoidance systems, NVM5, and Intraoperative Monitoring (“IOM”), services and support; MaXcess, an integrated split-blade retractor system; and a wide variety of specialized implants and biologics. The Company also recently launched Integrated Global Alignment (“iGA”), in which products and computer assisted technology under the MAS platform help achieve more precise spinal alignment. The individual components of the MAS platform, and many of the Company’s products, can also be used in open or traditional spine surgery. The Company continues to focus research and development efforts to expand its MAS product platform and advance the applications of its unique technology into procedurally-integrated surgical solutions. The Company dedicates significant resources toward training spine surgeons on its unique technology and products. The Company’s primary business model is to loan its MAS systems to surgeons and hospitals that purchase implants, biologics and disposables for use in individual procedures. In addition, for larger customers, the Company’s proprietary nerve monitoring systems, MaXcess and surgical instrument sets are placed with hospitals for an extended period at no up-front cost to them. The Company also offers a range of bone allograft in patented saline packaging, disposables and spine implants, which include its branded CoRoent^® products and fixation devices such as rods, plates and screws. The Company sells MAS instrument sets, MaXcess and nerve monitoring systems to hospitals, however, such sales are immaterial to the Company’s results of operations. On February 11, 2016 the Company acquired Ellipse Technologies, Inc. (“Ellipse Technologies”), which now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary under the renamed legal entity NuVasive Specialized Orthopedics, Inc. (“NSO”). NSO designs and sells expandable growing rod implant systems that can be non-invasively lengthened following implantation with precise, incremental adjustments via an external remote controller using magnetic technology called MAGnetic External Control, or MAGEC. The technology platform provides the basis of NSO’s core product offerings, including MAGEC-EOS, which allows for the minimally invasive treatment of early-onset and adolescent scoliosis, as well as PRECICE limb lengthening system, which allows for the correction of long bone limb length discrepancy, as well as enhanced bone healing in patients that have experienced traumatic injury. The Company intends to continue development on a wide variety of projects intended to broaden surgical applications for greater procedural integration of its MAS techniques and additional applications of the MAGEC technology. Such applications include tumor, trauma, and deformity, as well as increased fixation options and sagittal alignment products. The Company also expects to continue expanding its other product and services offerings as it executes on its strategy to offer customers an end-to-end, integrated procedural solution for spine surgery that distinguishes the Company from traditional spine implant companies.
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation	Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation The accompanying Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its majority-owned or controlled subsidiaries, collectively referred to as either NuVasive or the Company. The Company translates the financial statements of its foreign subsidiaries using end-of-period exchange rates for assets and liabilities and average exchange rates during each reporting period for results of operations. When there is a portion of equity in an acquired subsidiary not attributable, directly or indirectly, to the respective parent entity, the Company records the fair value of the non-controlling interests at the acquisition date and classifies the amounts attributable to non-controlling interests separately in equity in the Company's consolidated financial statements. Any subsequent changes in a parent's ownership interest while the parent retains its controlling financial interest in its subsidiary are accounted for as equity transactions. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Pursuant to these rules and regulations, the Company has condensed or omitted certain information and footnote disclosures it normally includes in its annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. These Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2015 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. In the opinion of management, the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements include all adjustments that are of a normal and recurring nature that are necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and of the results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The Company has reclassified historically presented product offerings revenue to conform to the current year presentation. The reclassification had no impact on previously reported results of operations or financial position.
Change in Accounting Estimates	Change in Accounting Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards	Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”), an updated standard on revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 provides enhancements to the quality and consistency of how revenue is reported by companies while also improving comparability in the financial statements of companies reporting using International Financial Reporting Standards or GAAP. The main purpose of the new standard is for companies to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration to which a company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard also will result in enhanced disclosures about revenue, provide guidance for transactions that were not previously addressed comprehensively and improve guidance for multiple-element arrangements. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Deferral of the Effective Date, which deferred the effective date of the new revenue standard for periods beginning after December 15, 2016 to December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted but not earlier than the original effective date. Accordingly, the updated standard is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. The Company is evaluating the impact of implementation and transition approach of this standard on its financial statements but does not anticipate a material impact on its financial statements. In January 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments-Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (“ASU 2016-01”), which requires that (i) all equity investments, other than equity-method investments, in unconsolidated entities generally be measured at fair value through earnings and (ii) when the fair value option has been elected for financial liabilities, changes in fair value due to instrument-specific credit risk will be recognized separately in other comprehensive income. Additionally, the ASU 2016-01 changes the disclosure requirements for financial instruments. The new standard will be effective for the Company starting in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted for certain provisions. The Company is in the process of determining the effects the adoption will have on its consolidated financial statements as well as whether to adopt certain provisions early. In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance related to leases that outlines a comprehensive lease accounting model and supersedes the current lease guidance. The new guidance requires lessees to recognize lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets for all leases with lease terms of greater than 12 months. It also changes the definition of a lease and expands the disclosure requirements of lease arrangements. The new guidance must be adopted using the modified retrospective approach and will be effective for the Company starting in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is in the process of determining the effects the adoption will have on its consolidated financial statements as well as whether to adopt the new guidance early. In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2016-09”), which amends ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. ASU 2016-09 includes provisions intended to simplify various aspects related to how share-based payments are accounted for and presented in the financial statements. ASU 2016-09 is effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted in any interim or annual period, with any adjustments reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The Company is evaluating the impact of this standard on its financial statements. Recently Adopted Accounting Standards In April 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03 amended requirements that require debt issuance costs, related to a recognized debt liability, to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2016 applied retroactively for all consolidated balance sheets presented. The Company applied the amended presentation requirements in the first quarter 2016, which does not have a material impact on its financial statements. This change resulted in a reclassification from other assets to senior convertible notes on the Consolidated Balance Sheets presented. See Note 6 to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements for revised presentation.
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Comprehensive Income (Loss) Comprehensive income (loss) is defined as the change in equity during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources. Comprehensive income (loss) includes unrealized gains or losses on the Company’s marketable securities and foreign currency translation adjustments. The cumulative translation adjustments included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) were a net cumulative loss of $9.1 million and $11.6 million at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.
Business Transition Costs	The Company incurs costs related to integration and business transition activities which include severance, relocation, consulting, and other costs directly associated to such activities. During the three months ended March 31, 2016, the business transition costs were immaterial to the results of operations. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company incurred $5.4 million of such costs, which included a $3.4 million charge associated with the resignation of the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, which occurred in the first quarter 2015. The $3.4 million charge includes certain severance and compensation-related charges, net of certain forfeitures of previously recognized equity-based compensation.
Product Shipment Costs	Product Shipment Costs Product shipment costs are included in sales, marketing and administrative expense in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations were $6.2 million and $5.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and March 31, 2015, respectively. The majority of the Company’s shipping costs are related to the loan of instrument sets, which are not sold as part of the Company’s core sales offering. Amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling of products are reflected in revenues and are not significant for any period presented.
Restructuring Charges	Restructuring Charges During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company recognized incremental restructuring and associated impairment charges of $2.3 million associated with exiting its New Jersey location and termination of the respective lease. The Company previously exited a portion of the facility, in the first quarter of 2014, and this represents the exit from the entire facility. The restructuring and impairment charges mainly consist of the future rental payments through 2017, net of estimated future sublease income, and elimination of related leasehold improvements and deferred rent liabilities. These charges were recorded in sales, marketing and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. There were no material restructuring charges recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2016. As of March 31, 2016, the total recorded liability associated with this early lease termination was $3.6 million compared to $4.1 million at December 31, 2015. The liability consists of future rental payments net of estimated sublease income through 2017. The current portion of the liability is recorded within accounts payable and accrued liabilities and the long-term portion is recorded within other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for the periods presented.
Litigation Liability Gain	Litigation Liability Gain During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company recorded a litigation liability gain of $42.6 million resulting primarily from the recognition of a $56.4 million gain stemming from a favorable appeal in Phase 1 of the Medtronic litigation, partially offset by a litigation loss of $13.8 million in connection with the OIG investigation. There were no material litigation gains or losses recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2016. See Note 11 and Note 12 to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion.