Revenue Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Contract with Customer, Liability	$ 400	$ 373
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	10,735	9,823	$ 9,048
Contract with Customer, Liability, Revenue Recognized	143
EMEA [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,264	2,176	1,940
UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	6,167	5,538	5,162
Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	4,569	4,286	3,885
Asia Pacific [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,898	1,727	1,587
Latin America and Canada [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	395	383	358
Emerging Markets [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,252	1,097	931
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,894	1,762	1,619
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,080	980	894
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	814	781	724
Global Urology and Pelvic Health Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,413	1,245	1,124
Global Urology and Pelvic Health Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,005	864	785
Global Urology and Pelvic Health Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	408	381	339
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,939	1,951	1,895
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,135	1,159	1,135
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	804	792	760
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	329	311	278
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	148	150	136
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	180	161	142
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	873	779	635
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	695	624	517
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	178	155	118
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,816	2,590	2,419
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,293	1,154	1,122
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,522	1,436	1,297
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,392	1,187	1,081
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	741	608	575
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	651	579	506
BTG Spec Pharma [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	81
BTG Spec Pharma [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	70
BTG Spec Pharma [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	11
BSX Reportable Segments [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	10,654	$ 9,823	$ 9,048
BSX Reportable Segments [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 6,097