Acquisitions Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Ash [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Support Guide Catheter Technology [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Introducer Sheath Technology [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Manufacturing And Technology License Agreement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Manufacturing And Technology License Agreement [Member]	Nov. 30, 2010 Manufacturing And Technology License Agreement [Member]	May 31, 2010 Manufacturing And Technology License Agreement [Member]	Feb. 28, 2010 Manufacturing And Technology License Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Vysera Biomedical Limited [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Vysera Biomedical Limited [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Vysera Valve Technology [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Vysera Valve Technology [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Hatch Medical [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Alveolus [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Biosearch [Member]	Jun. 30, 2009 Biosearch [Member]	Mar. 31, 2009 Biosearch [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Developed Technology Rights [Member] BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Developed Technology Rights [Member] BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Developed Technology Rights [Member] Ash [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Developed Technology Rights [Member] Manufacturing And Technology License Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Developed Technology Rights [Member] Vysera Biomedical Limited [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Developed Technology Rights [Member] Vysera Valve Technology [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Developed Technology Rights [Member] Hatch Medical [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Developed Technology Rights [Member] Alveolus [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Developed Technology Rights [Member] Biosearch [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Customer Lists [Member] BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Customer Lists [Member] BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Customer Lists [Member] Ash [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Customer Lists [Member] BioSphere Sales Distributor Agreements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Customer Lists [Member] Hatch Medical [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Customer Lists [Member] Alveolus [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Customer Lists [Member] Biosearch [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Licensing Agreements [Member] BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Licensing Agreements [Member] BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Trademarks [Member] BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trademarks [Member] BioSphere [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Trademarks [Member] Hatch Medical [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Trademarks [Member] Alveolus [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Noncompete Agreements [Member] Hatch Medical [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Noncompete Agreements [Member] Biosearch [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Acquired in-process research and development [Member] Alveolus [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Net Income									$ 23,044,000	$ 12,460,000	$ 22,530,000
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)											22,470,000		7,258,000	17,000,000
Earnings Per Share, Basic	$ 0.12	$ 0.11	$ 0.19	$ 0.19	$ 0.12	$ (0.06)	$ 0.16	$ 0.13	$ 0.59	$ 0.35	$ 0.64
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Basic											$ 0.64		$ 0.21	$ 0.49
Earnings Per Share, Diluted	$ 0.12	$ 0.11	$ 0.18	$ 0.18	$ 0.12	$ (0.06)	$ 0.16	$ 0.13	$ 0.58	$ 0.35	$ 0.63
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Diluted											$ 0.63		$ 0.20	$ 0.48
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Assets, Marketable Securities												9,673,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Assets, Receivables												4,529,000																974,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets												1,340,000																241,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Assets, Inventory												5,694,000																1,741,000	188,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Property, Plant and Equipment												546,000			73,000													547,000	31,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Amount																																	19,000,000	3,200,000	1,000,000	1,500,000	1,000,000	8,100,000	5,700,000	380,000		7,900,000	300,000	1,300,000	590,000	1,100,000	660,000		380,000		3,200,000	650,000	1,400,000	240,000	25,000	400,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Goodwill Amount												34,016,000			2,697,000												11,420,000	8,028,000	316,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Assets Acquired											21,000,000	102,290,000			6,270,000													20,131,000	1,600,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Deferred Income Taxes, Asset (Liability), Net												16,012,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable												322,000																467,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Liabilities, Accrued Liabilities												3,617,000
Business Combinations, Purchase Price Allocation, Deferred Income Tax Liabilities												729,000
Business Combinations, Purchase Price Allocation, Unrecognized Tax Benefits												961,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Liabilities, Other Liabilities												936,000																572,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net															5,000,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Liabilities Assumed												6,565,000			1,270,000												0	1,039,000	0
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid												95,725,000			5,000,000	2,000,000	1,000,000		250,000	250,000	250,000	250,000			500,000	500,000	21,000,000	19,092,000	1,600,000	500,000	1,100,000
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Gross Contractual Amount												4,600,000																1,000,000
Research and Development Asset Acquired Other than Through Business Combination, Written-off									4,900,000														500,000					400,000
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration, Potential Cash Payment															1,000,000	3,000,000	1,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Contingent Liability																	948,000
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Estimated Uncollectible												51,000																49,000
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net									359,449,000	296,755,000	257,462,000		9,000,000															6,100,000	1,600,000
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue											259,914,000		317,382,000	288,589,000
Goodwill, Allocation Adjustment									(228,000)	0		228,000
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense												522,000
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs									86,000				2,500,000
Royalty Revenue																											1,000,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	4,970,000	4,563,000	6,872,000	6,639,000	4,210,000	(1,973,000)	5,715,000	4,508,000	23,044,000	12,460,000	22,530,000																210,000	2,300,000	320,000
Investment Owned, Balance, Shares																								253,047
Other Investments																								$ 2,400,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life																		10														15		15		15	10	11	15	15	10		2	10		7	8	10		15		15	15	7	7	15
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life													13.6		9												3.87	3.52