Contingencies (Details) (USD $)			1 Months Ended					1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Feb. 29, 2012 Blackstone Merger Escrow Fund	Dec. 31, 2011 Blackstone Merger Escrow Fund	Sep. 22, 2006 Blackstone Merger Escrow Fund	Dec. 31, 2011 Promeca S.A. de C.V. Consolidated Net Sales Geographic Concentration Risk	Dec. 31, 2011 Promeca S.A. de C.V. Consolidated Total Assets Geographic Concentration Risk	Feb. 29, 2012 Litigation related to Blackstone	Jan. 31, 2012 Litigation related to Blackstone	Aug. 31, 2011 Litigation related to Blackstone D	Dec. 31, 2011 Litigation related to Blackstone	Dec. 31, 2011 Litigation related to Blackstone	Sep. 30, 2011 Litigation related to Blackstone	Sep. 22, 2006 Litigation related to Blackstone	Mar. 31, 2011 Litigation related to Bone Growth Stimulation Business	Dec. 31, 2011 Litigation related to Bone Growth Stimulation Business supplement	Dec. 31, 2011 Litigation related to Promeca	Mar. 31, 2011 Litigation related to Promeca	Dec. 31, 2011 Various litigation not separately disclosed
Contingencies
Accrued litigation reserve																			$ 1,200,000
Period for closure of lawsuit, maximum (in days)										90
Litigation provision															43,000,000		4,500,000	3,000,000
Amount approved to be paid under the agreement									32,000,000
Estimated recovery from third party of estimated loss contingency									32,000,000
Other fees incurred with respect to estimated loss contingency											1,000,000
Post-closing indemnification obligations of former Blackstone shareholders														66,600,000
Escrow fund assets as of acquisition date					50,000,000
Escrow receivable	41,537,000	14,937,000											15,500,000
Escrow fund assets, subsquent to acquisition date				47,500,000
Receipts from escrow fund related to estimated loss contingency												6,000,000
Distribution from the escrow fund to the Company			42,500,000
Change in escrow receivable								$ 9,500,000
Number of supplemental subpoenas issued																2
Concentration risk percentage						1.00%	1.00%