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Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Jan. 01, 2018
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,393	$ 2,222	$ 7,262	$ 6,640
Contract with Customer, Liability [Abstract]
Contract with Customer, Liability	378		378		$ 411
Change in Contract with Customer, Liability [Abstract]
Contract with Customer, Liability, Revenue Recognized	27		80
United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,375	1,257	4,078	3,798
International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,018	965	3,184	2,839
EMEA [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	498	474	1,619	1,411
APAC [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	425	401	1,282	1,165
Latin America and Canada [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	94	91	282	264
Emerging Markets [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	263	236	794	671
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	443	403	1,304	1,182
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] \| United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	247	220	724	659
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] \| International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	196	183	580	521
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	303	274	904	815
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member] \| United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	214	190	623	569
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member] \| International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	89	84	280	246
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	475	463	1,462	1,407
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] \| United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	289	275	869	845
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] \| International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	186	188	594	562
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	76	71	230	201
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] \| United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	37	34	111	101
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] \| International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	39	37	119	101
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	189	154	559	449
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] \| United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	155	126	446	367
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] \| International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	34	28	113	82
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	615	589	1,922	1,784
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] \| United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	283	271	859	830
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] \| International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	332	318	1,062	953
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	293	268	885	802
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] \| United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	152	141	449	429
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] \| International [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 142	$ 127	$ 436	$ 375