Acquisitions - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)							1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended					5 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2015	Jul. 17, 2015	Jul. 14, 2015	Jul. 01, 2015	Jan. 06, 2015	Aug. 08, 2014	Jan. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire intangible assets									$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000			$ 3,000,000	$ 1,385,000	$ 1,368,000
Acquisition purchases in accrued expenses and other long-term obligations									$ 1,500,000		$ 1,000,000
Research and Development Asset Acquired Other than Through Business Combination, Written-off								$ 1,000,000				$ 0		1,000,000	$ 0	$ 0
License agreements and trademarks
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets purchased								16,192,000			7,172,000		7,172,000	16,192,000		7,172,000
Useful life						12 years
Customer Lists [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets purchased								6,234,000			7,258,000		7,258,000	6,234,000		7,258,000
Distribution agreements
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets purchased								2,921,000			3,091,000		3,091,000	2,921,000		3,091,000
Useful life						3 years
Intangible assets						$ 200,000
Developed technology
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets purchased								72,611,000			$ 79,172,000		$ 79,172,000	72,611,000		$ 79,172,000
Intangible assets						$ 6,300,000
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc. [Member] | Developed technology
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire intangible assets								400,000
Useful life		10 years
Catheter Connections, Inc. [Member] | Distribution agreements
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire intangible assets							$ 250,000
Intangible assets purchased										$ 250,000
Useful life					10 years
Blockade Medical LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-Lived License Agreements, Gross								$ 2,700,000						$ 2,700,000
Blockade Medical LLC [Member] | License agreements and trademarks
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Useful life	10 years
Xablecath, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cost Method Investments, Interest Acquired, Number of Units								116,279						116,279
Cost Method Investments, Ownership Percentage								14.00%						14.00%
Cost Method Investments								$ 300,000						$ 300,000
Quellent, LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire intangible assets								500,000
Acquisition purchases in accrued expenses and other long-term obligations								500,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability, Noncurrent								270,000						270,000
Goodwill, Acquired During Period								60,000
Purchase price								1,000,000
Quellent, LLC [Member] | Developed technology
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets purchased								1,210,000						1,210,000
Useful life			13 years
Catch Medical, LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire intangible assets								200,000
Acquisition purchases in accrued expenses and other long-term obligations								200,000
Acquisition Purchases in Long-term Obligations								600,000
Distal Access, LLC [Member] | License agreements and trademarks
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire intangible assets								3,500,000
Intangible assets purchased								3,500,000						3,500,000
Useful life				6 years
Teleflex Incorporated [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Future Payments Under Purchase Agreement								400,000						$ 400,000
Teleflex Incorporated [Member] | Customer Lists [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire intangible assets								$ 400,000
Useful life								5 years
Cost-method Investments [Member] | Blockade Medical LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration transferred to acquire rights	$ 1,000,000
Loans Receivable [Member] | Blockade Medical LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration transferred to acquire rights	$ 1,700,000