Contingencies - Additional information (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012 Past Liability Due [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Future Liability [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Litigation related to Breg [Member]	Jan. 31, 2012 Litigation related to Blackstone [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Litigation related to Promeca [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Orthofix Inc [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Orthofix Inc [Member] Litigation related to Bone Growth Stimulation Business [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Orthofix Inc [Member] Litigation related to Bone Growth Stimulation Business [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Amount approved to be paid under the agreement						$ 32,000,000		$ 34,200,000
Settlement of imputed interest accrued		300,000
Interest rate on settlement amount approved to be paid under the agreement (as a percent)								3.00%
Counseling fees								1,000,000
Settlement agreement description								The Company agreed to pay $34.2 million (plus interest at a rate of 3% from May 5, 2011 through the day before payment was made)
Amount of fine							2,200,000	7,800,000
Mandatory special assessment								400
Company terms and corporate integrity agreement expiration term								Five year
Charges accrued in connection with litigation	4,200,000								43,000,000
Imputed Interest settlement against the charge							5,200,000			1,700,000
Deferred prosecution agreement term		3 years
Estimated reimbursement			13,000,000	15,000,000
Amount recorded in discontinued operations		13,000,000
Compensatory damages to plaintiff					2,100,000
Exemplary damages					7,000,000
Discontinued operations for compensatory damages and exemplary damages	$ 4,200,000