Restructuring Charges (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 27, 2012	Apr. 29, 2011	Apr. 30, 2010	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Positions	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Other Restructuring	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2012 Initiative Other Restructuring	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Positions	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Physio-Control Positions	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 27, 2012 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Contract Termination	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2011 Initiative Other Restructuring	Jul. 31, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Positions	Apr. 24, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative	Apr. 30, 2010 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative	Apr. 24, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative	Jul. 31, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 24, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 30, 2010 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Apr. 24, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Employee Termination Costs	Jul. 31, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 24, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 29, 2011 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 30, 2010 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Asset Write-downs	Apr. 24, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Initiative Asset Write-downs
Changes in Restructuring Reserves
Balance as of					$ 0			$ 0		$ 0			$ 0		$ 204	$ 0			$ 157	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0		$ 47	$ 0		$ 28		$ 5	$ 28	$ 0	$ 28		$ 5	$ 28	$ 0	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Restructuring charges					118			66		9			43			257				162			24			71					63	34				53	29				10	5
Payments/Write-downs					(27)			(2)		(9)			(16)		(169)	(53)			(134)	(5)		0	(24)		(35)	(24)				(5)	(74)	(6)			(5)	(64)	(1)			0	(10)	(5)
Reversal of excess accrual															(31)				(23)			0			(8)						(12)					(12)					0
Balance as of				91	91	0	64	64	0	0		27	27	204	4	204		157	0	157	0	0	0	47	4	47			28	0	5	28		28	0	5	28		0	0	0	0
Restructuring charge	87	259	50	118			66		9		30	13		272			2	177			24			45			26	72	34				62	29				10	5
Incremental defined benefit pension and post-retirement related expenses	319	368	237															15															9
Inventory write-downs and production related asset impairments																					11																	7
Impairment loss of intangilble assets		$ 28				$ 19																					$ 19
Expected number of positions eliminated				1,000										2,100			55											1,500