Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, net of discount	$ 1,123,916,000	$ 1,104,790,000
Less: Current installments	(27,500,000)	(169,500,000)
Long-term debt, net of current installments and discount	1,096,416,000	935,290,000
3.25% Convertible Senior Notes and Related Note Hedge and Warrants [Abstract]
Associated derivative transactions, description	Concurrently with the issuance of the Convertible Notes, we entered into a convertible note hedge (the "Note Hedge") and warrant transactions (the "Warrents") with affiliates of the initial purchasers of the notes. These consist of purchased and written call options on KCI common stock. The Note Hedge and Warrants are structured to reduce the potential future economic dilution associated with conversion of the notes and to effectively increase the initial conversion price to $60.41 per share, which was approximately 50% higher than the closing price of KCI's common stock on April 15, 2008.
Effective initial conversion price (in dollars per share)	$ 60.41
Conditions for conversion of Senior Notes	Holders of the Convertible Notes may convert their notes at their option on any business day prior to October 15, 2014 only if one or more of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) during any fiscal quarter commencing after June 30, 2008, if the last reported sale price of our common stock for at least 20 trading days in the period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the preceding fiscal quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the conversion price of the notes in effect on each applicable trading day; (2) during the five business day period following any five consecutive trading day period in which the trading price for the notes (per $1,000 principal amount of the notes) for each such trading day was less than 98% of the last reported sale price of our common stock on such date multiplied by the applicable conversion rate; or (3) if we make certain significant distributions to holders of our common stock or enter into specified corporate transactions. The notes are convertible, regardless of whether any of the foregoing conditions have been satisfied, on or after October 15, 2014 at any time prior to the close of business on the third scheduled trading day immediately preceding the stated maturity date.
Senior Credit Facility - due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	529,375,000	0
Maturity date	January 2016
Fair value of credit facility	526,100,000
Debt instrument fair value disclosure methodology	The fair values of our senior credit facilities and the convertible senior notes were estimated based upon open-market trades and related market quotations at or near quarter or year-end.
Principal amount	550,000,000
Aggregate additional borrowing capacity	500,000,000
Debt instrument issuance date	January 2011
Debt instrument covenant compliance	As of September 30, 2011, we were in compliance with all covenants under the senior credit agreement.
Senior Credit Facility - due 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	0	527,333,000
Fair value of credit facility		527,300,000
Senior Revolving Credit Facility - due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	0	0
Credit facility expiration date	January 2016
Maximum borrowing capacity	650,000,000
Revolving credit facility, available for letters of credit	75,000,000
Revolving credit facility, available for swing-line loans	25,000,000
Outstanding letters of credit	12,000,000
Availability under the revolving credit facility	638,000,000
Debt instrument issuance date	January 2011
Debt instrument covenant compliance	As of September 30, 2011, we were in compliance with all covenants under the senior credit agreement.
Senior Revolving Credit Facility - due 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	0	0
Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	690,000,000	690,000,000
Less: Convertible Notes Discount, net of accretion	(95,459,000)	(112,543,000)
Maturity date	April 2015
Interest rate (in hundredths)	3.25%
Fair value of Convertible Senior Notes	970,000,000	727,900,000
Debt instrument fair value disclosure methodology	The fair values of our senior credit facilities and the convertible senior notes were estimated based upon open-market trades and related market quotations at or near quarter or year-end.
Principal amount	690,000,000
Debt instrument issuance date	April 21, 2008
Debt instrument covenant compliance	As of September 30, 2011, we were in compliance with all covenants under the Indenture for the Convertible Notes.
3.25% Convertible Senior Notes and Related Note Hedge and Warrants [Abstract]
Approximate excess of initial conversion price over closing price (in hundredths)	50.00%
Minimum trading days in 30 consecutive trading day period (in days)	20
Threshold percentage of conversion price (in hundredths)	130.00%
Period in business days following any five consecutive trading days	five
Increment of principal amount of Convertible notes	$ 1,000
Threshold percentage of last reported sale price of common stock (in hundredths)	98.00%
Initial conversion rate (in shares per $1,000 principal amount of notes)	19.4764
Initial conversion price (in dollars per share)	$ 51.34		$ 51.34
Conversion premium over the last reported sale price (in hundredths)	27.50%
Sale price of common stock (per share)	$ 40.27