BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURE - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)					1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Apr. 04, 2018	Oct. 02, 2017	May 25, 2017	Feb. 24, 2017	Aug. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Oct. 06, 2017
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amount drawn from loan						$ 25,000,000			$ 210,000,000
Cash received from working capital adjustment related to business acquisition						5,700,000
Payment for contingent consideration						7,800,000
Realized loss on sale of short-term investment								$ 2,300,000
Change in fair value of contingent consideration						379,000			261,000
Net income						10,992,000			$ 6,394,000
Interest Expense, Intangible Asset Amortization, and External Expenses Related to Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Net income						$ 9,000,000
Product Concentration Risk | BioD Morselized Amniotic Membrane Based Products
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of revenue to product (less than)						1.00%			1.00%
Derma Sciences | Interest Expense, Intangible Asset Amortization, and External Expenses Related to Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Net income						$ 2,900,000
Codman Specialty Surgical
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Aggregate purchase price received											$ 46,400,000
Assets provided upon termination of transitional supply agreement liability							$ 1,300,000			$ 1,300,000
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Codman Specialty Surgical
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Pretax gain on sale of business, included in other income, net										2,600,000
Subsequent Event
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash received from working capital adjustment related to business acquisition	$ 21,000,000
Codman
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration for acquisition		$ 1,014,000,000
Revenue of acquired company						77,900,000
Purchase price adjustments						2,783,000
Purchase price, working capital adjustments						5,700,000
Purchase price, inventory adjustments						2,900,000
Write off of construction in progress							6,300,000
Codman | Secured Debt | Term Loan A-1
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amount drawn from loan		$ 700,000,000
Derma Sciences
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration for acquisition				$ 210,800,000
Revenue of acquired company						24,700,000			$ 10,400,000
Payment of closing expenses				4,800,000
Settlement of stock compensation plan				4,300,000
Cash payment to former shareholders				201,700,000
Acquired deferred taxes				$ 14,524,000		14,500,000
Deferred tax asset, federal net operating loss						39,700,000
Deferred tax asset, intangibles						16,400,000
Deferred tax liabilities, intangibles						41,100,000
Deferred tax asset, various						500,000
Deferred tax liabilities, adjustment to estimated fair value								1,500,000
Deferred tax assets, adjustment to estimated fair value							3,300,000			3,300,000
Derma Sciences | BioD Earnout Payments
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payment for contingent consideration					$ 4,800,000
Revenue volatility percentage				13.50%
Fair value inputs, discount rate				3.00%
Contingent consideration maximum payout				$ 26,500,000
Estimated fair value of the remaining portion of the contingent consideration, liability				$ 9,100,000		300,000	300,000			300,000
Derma Sciences | Product Payment Contingent Consideration
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value inputs, discount rate				2.50%
Contingent consideration maximum payout				$ 29,700,000.0
Estimated fair value of the remaining portion of the contingent consideration, liability				$ 26,800,000
Product payment rate				98.00%
Change in fair value of contingent consideration								$ 900,000
Payment for the product payment			$ 26,600,000
Derma Sciences | Medihoney Earnout Payments
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenue volatility percentage				27.50%
Fair value inputs, discount rate				4.50%
Contingent consideration maximum payout				$ 5,000,000.0
Estimated fair value of the remaining portion of the contingent consideration, liability				$ 1,400,000		$ 1,400,000	$ 1,400,000			$ 1,400,000