Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 05, 2011	Jan. 04, 2011 Sadra Medical, Inc. [Member]	Jan. 05, 2011 Intelect Medical, Inc., [Member]	Feb. 15, 2011 ReVascular Therapeutics, Inc. [Member]	Mar. 03, 2011 Atritech, Inc. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 2011 Acquisitions [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 United States [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Segment, Geographical, Groups of Countries, Group One [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Segment, Geographical, Groups of Countries, Group Two [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Japan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 revenue-based payments [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Potential upfront payment due upon closing of Cameron acquisition	$ 150,000,000
Contingent payment related to business combination	3,000,000	0
Accrued Contingent Consideration	(365,000,000)		(358,000,000)
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Liability	(10,000,000)	(6,000,000)
The components of the preliminary purchase price as of the acquisition date for acquisitions consummated in the first quarter of 2011 are as follows
Payment to acquire in cash					193,000,000	60,000,000	19,000,000	98,000,000	370,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration		(287,000,000)							287,000,000					(180,000,000)	(185,000,000)
Prior investments									55,000,000
Total									712,000,000
The preliminary purchase price allocation:
Goodwill	266,000,000									161,000,000	99,000,000	5,000,000	1,000,000
Amortizable intangible assets	97,000,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets	470,000,000
Deferred income taxes	(121,000,000)
Total	712,000,000
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payment to acquire in cash					193,000,000	60,000,000	19,000,000	98,000,000	370,000,000
Percentage of equity acquired					86.00%	85.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Future acquisition related consideration contingent upon the achievement of certain revenue-based milestones	730,000,000				193,000,000	0	16,000,000	275,000,000
Aggregate carrying value of equity interest in Sadra and Intelect prior to acquisition of remaining equity				11,000,000
Risk-adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration, low		2.00%
Risk adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration, high		20.00%
Note receivable from acquired company prior to acquisition				6,000,000
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Adjustments to contingent consideration expense for current period acquisitions	(10,000,000)	(6,000,000)
Potential payment due upon FDA approval of S-ICD system	150,000,000
Maximum potential payment due upon achievement of certain milestones, per Cameron agreement	$ 1,050,000,000