Other Expense (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended											3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2010 Facility - Chelmsford Massachusetts [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CONMED Linvatec [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 CONMED Linvatec [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 CONMED Linvatec [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 CONMED Endoscopic Technologies [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 CONMED Endoscopic Technologies [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Expense [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Other Expense [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Other Expense [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Expense [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Other Expense [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Other Expense [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Other Expense [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member] Distribution Center - Atlanta, Georgia [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member] Facility - Utica, New York [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member] Facility - Utica, New York [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member] Facility - Utica, New York [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member] CONMED Linvatec [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member] CONMED Linvatec [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member] CONMED Linvatec [Member]
Component of Operating Other Cost and Expense [Line Items]
Restructuing charges											$ 792,000	$ 2,176,000	$ 6,806,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 2,726,000	$ 2,726,000	$ 792,000	$ 2,176,000	$ 4,080,000	$ 100,000	$ 700,000	$ 792,000	$ 200,000	$ 300,000	$ 1,000,000
Net pension gain		0	0	(1,882,000)
Product recall		0	0	5,992,000				6,000,000
Costs associated with purchase of a distributor	300,000	300,000	0	0
Other expense		1,092,000	2,176,000	10,916,000
Repairs on inventory recall performed						5,700,000
Total consolidation costs										4,900,000
Inventory write-down										800,000
Lease impairment charge					700,000				700,000
Severance costs							$ 1,500,000