Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Service Cost	$ 10	$ 9
Available-for-sale Securities	20	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Benefit Obligation	140	121
Pension termination charges	$ 0	$ 44	$ 0
Number of Reportable Segments | reportablesegments	3
Number of global reporting units | reportablesegments	7	7	7
International Retirement Plan - Discount Rate - Low	0.50%
International Retirement Plan - Expected Return on Plan Assets - Low	3.00%
International Retirement Plan - Discount Rate - High	2.13%
Executive Retirement Plan Discount Rate	3.50%
Rabbi Trust Assets	$ 8	$ 11
Expense related to matching contributions	72	69	$ 63
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	152	131	138
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	54	52	191
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	(1)	1
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer	7	6
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	5	145
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(5)	(5)
Defined Benefit Plan, Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Changes, Benefit Obligation	1	(1)
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	98	79
Shipping, Handling and Transportation Costs	101	93	100
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax	$ (13)	$ (21)	(18)
Percent of finished goods at consignment	40.00%	40.00%
Product Warranty Accrual	$ 22	$ 23	25	$ 28
Product Warranty Expense	25	15	9
Product Warranty Accrual, Payments	(26)	(17)	(12)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Deductions	(11)	(16)	(15)
Depreciation	270	$ 274	$ 287
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Undistributed Foreign Earnings	$ 9,800
Executive Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	3.00%
Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan Discount Rate	4.00%
International Retirement Plan - Expected Return on Plan Assets - High	4.10%
Concentration Risk, Customer	0	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)	$ 10	$ (5)
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Amendments	7	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Changes, Plan Assets	(1)	(6)
Executive retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Benefit Obligation	15	12
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	17	14
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	17	14
Guidant supplement retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Benefit Obligation	32	33
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	32	33
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	32	33
International retirement plans [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Benefit Obligation	93	76
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	103	84
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	54	52
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	$ 49	$ 32
Minimum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
International Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	2.50%
Minimum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	20 years
Minimum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	3 years
Minimum [Member] | Patents [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	2 years
Minimum [Member] | Technology-related [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	5 years
Minimum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	5 years
Maximum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
International Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	6.78%
Maximum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	40 years
Maximum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	10 years
Maximum [Member] | Patents [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	20 years
Maximum [Member] | Technology-related [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	25 years
Maximum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	25 years