Revenues - Initial Application Period (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 01, 2018
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption												$ 467,000
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
Accounts receivable, net of doubtful accounts	$ 81,896,000								$ 81,896,000
Inventories	115,741,000				$ 94,901,000				115,741,000	$ 94,901,000
Deferred taxes	32,940,000				26,690,000				32,940,000	26,690,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	37,178,000				30,721,000				37,178,000	30,721,000
Retained earnings	9,064,000				1,996,000				9,064,000	1,996,000
Consolidated Income Statement Data:
Revenues	120,793,000	$ 111,806,000	$ 109,638,000	$ 102,701,000	96,051,000	$ 83,911,000	$ 80,589,000	$ 73,213,000	444,938,000	333,764,000	$ 263,317,000
Cost of revenue	42,081,000	36,794,000	37,386,000	36,144,000	32,324,000	29,134,000	29,660,000	25,504,000	152,405,000	116,622,000	92,488,000
(Loss) income from operations									(852,000)	1,165,000	(1,350,000)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	7,349,000	(19,908,000)	9,663,000	4,504,000	3,906,000	1,239,000	(918,000)	(1,751,000)	1,608,000	2,476,000	(869,000)
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes	885,000	1,598,000	(4,948,000)	(1,938,000)	(5,904,000)	456,000	482,000	1,355,000	(4,403,000)	(3,611,000)	(15,683,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to Penumbra, Inc.	6,659,000	$ (18,930,000)	$ 13,381,000	$ 5,491,000	$ 9,083,000	$ 238,000	$ (1,558,000)	$ (3,106,000)	6,601,000	$ 4,657,000	$ 14,814,000
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption												467,000
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption												$ 300,000
Adjustments | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
Accounts receivable, net of doubtful accounts	(984,000)								(984,000)
Inventories	343,000								343,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	181,000								181,000
Retained earnings	(460,000)								(460,000)
Consolidated Income Statement Data:
Revenues									(326,000)
Cost of revenue									(126,000)
(Loss) income from operations									(200,000)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest									(200,000)
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes									(37,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to Penumbra, Inc.									(163,000)
Before 606 Adoption
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
Accounts receivable, net of doubtful accounts	80,912,000								80,912,000
Inventories	116,084,000								116,084,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	33,121,000								33,121,000
Retained earnings	$ 8,604,000								8,604,000
Consolidated Income Statement Data:
Revenues									444,612,000
Cost of revenue									152,279,000
(Loss) income from operations									(1,052,000)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest									1,408,000
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes									(4,440,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to Penumbra, Inc.									$ 6,438,000