Contingencies (Details)									1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 15, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 13, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 18, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 22, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 20, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 02, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 25, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 20, 2011 USD ($) patent	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2010 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2008 patent	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) patent	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 02, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation liability gain (loss)												$ 500,000		$ 43,310,000	$ 42,507,000
Company's patents in phases of litigation | patent														0
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss																	$ 87,600,000
Unrecorded royalty damages														$ 0
Litigation accrual																$ 88,261,000
OIG [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation liability gain (loss)															(13,800,000)
Litigation charge															13,800,000
Loss contingency, settlement agreement, consideration									$ 13,500,000
General Litigation Matter [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation liability gain (loss)															2,800,000
Litigation charge															3,300,000
Medtronic Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, settlement agreement, consideration paid		$ 45,000,000					$ 7,500,000							45,000,000
Litigation liability gain (loss)														43,300,000	56,400,000
Reduction in litigation accrual														$ (88,300,000)
Litigation charge								$ 101,200,000
Number of patents assigned or licensed | patent											12			9
Number of patents withdrawn | patent														3
Number of patents selected for litigation | patent								3
Company's patents in phases of litigation | patent								1
Loss contingency, settlement agreement, court														On May 15, 2013, the District Court granted the parties’ joint motion to dismiss claims relating to one of the three Medtronic patents pursuant to a settlement agreement, leaving two Medtronic patents remaining in the litigation. On June 11, 2013, the District Court granted the parties ongoing royalties with respect to the two Medtronic patents and the one Company patent remaining in the first phase of the case (the “June 2013 ruling”).
Company's cash and investment in escrow														$ 113,300,000
Release of funds from escrow												$ 114,100,000			114,100,000
Litigation liability																			$ 101,200,000
Royalty accrual charge														7,900,000
Unrecorded royalty damages														700,000
Medtronic Litigation [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation accrual														88,300,000
Medtronic Litigation [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation accrual														45,000,000
Trademark Infringement [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation liability gain (loss)													$ 2,800,000		$ 2,800,000
Company's cash and investment in escrow						$ 32,500,000
Litigation liability														60,000,000				$ 30,000,000
Jury award										$ 60,000,000
Loss contingency, settlement agreement, consideration					$ 27,200,000
Litigation accrual														0
Restricted cash														$ 0
Madsen Medical, Inc. Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, settlement agreement, court														On March 18, 2016, the trial court entered judgment in favor of MMI in the amount of $27.8 million, which amount excluded the $14.0 million disgorgement awarded by the jury.
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss														$ 0
Jury award			$ 27,800,000
Madsen Medical, Inc. Litigation [Member] | Loss Profits for Tortious Interference [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Jury award				$ 7,500,000
Madsen Medical, Inc. Litigation [Member] | Unjust Enrichment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Jury award				14,000,000
Madsen Medical, Inc. Litigation [Member] | Punitive Damages [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Jury award				20,000,000
Madsen Medical, Inc. Litigation [Member] | Damages for Breach of Contract [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Jury award				$ 300,000
Madsen Medical, Inc. Litigation [Member] | Attorney Fees And Costs [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Jury award	$ 1,100,000