Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	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
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Jun. 30, 2010 Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cost of Sales [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Cost of Sales [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Cost of Sales [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member] Manufacturing Facility - Chihuahua, Mexico [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member] Manufacturing Facility - Chihuahua, Mexico [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member] Manufacturing Facility - Chihuahua, Mexico [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member] Manufacturing Facility - Chihuahua, Mexico [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member] Manufacturing Facility - Chihuahua, Mexico [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member] Manufacturing Facility - Chihuahua, Mexico [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member] Manufacturing Facility - Chihuahua, Mexico [Member]	Mar. 30, 2010 Cost of Sales [Member] New Plant and Facility Consolidation Costs [Member] Manufacturing Facility - Chihuahua, Mexico [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Cost of Sales [Member] Termination of a product offering [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cost of Sales [Member] Termination of a product offering [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Cost of Sales [Member] Termination of a product offering [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Cost of Sales [Member] Termination of a product offering [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, 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 CONMED Linvatec [Member] Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 CONMED Linvatec [Member] Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 CONMED Linvatec [Member] Other Expense [Member] Administrative consolidation costs [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 CONMED Endoscopic Technologies [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CONMED Patient Care [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuing charges									$ 3,467,000	$ 4,886,000	$ 12,704,000	$ 3,467,000	$ 2,397,000	$ 11,859,000	$ 900,000	$ 800,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 800,000	$ 600,000	$ 300,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 600,000	$ 2,500,000	$ 0	$ 2,489,000	$ 0	$ 792,000	$ 2,176,000	$ 6,806,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 2,726,000	$ 792,000	$ 2,176,000	$ 4,080,000	$ 100,000	$ 700,000	$ 792,000	$ 200,000	$ 300,000	$ 1,000,000
Extinguishment of debt					3,000,000		3,000,000	9,900,000
Debt interest rate					2.50%	2.50%	2.50%	2.50%
Payments on senior subordinated notes		(111,766,000)	(2,933,000)	(7,808,000)	(2,900,000)	(111,800,000)	(2,900,000)	(7,800,000)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0	(79,000)	1,083,000	(100,000)		(100,000)	1,100,000
Lease impairment charge																																										700,000
Goodwill impairment		60,302,000	0	0																																							60,302,000
Costs associated with purchase of a distributor	$ 300,000	$ 300,000	$ 0	$ 0