Business Combinations Business Combinations (Narrative) (Details) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 Noncontrolling Interest [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2014 Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 29, 2014 Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2014 Spinal Modulation [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 Spinal Modulation [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Spinal Modulation [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 07, 2013 Spinal Modulation [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 Spinal Modulation [Member] Noncontrolling Interest [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Spinal Modulation [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 NeuroTherm, Inc. [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 06, 2014 NeuroTherm, Inc. [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 06, 2014 NeuroTherm, Inc. [Member] Developed Technology Rights [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 NeuroTherm, Inc. [Member] Developed Technology Rights [Member] Minimum [Member]	Sep. 27, 2014 NeuroTherm, Inc. [Member] Developed Technology Rights [Member] Maximum [Member]	Sep. 27, 2014 NeuroTherm, Inc. [Member] Licensing Agreements [Member]	Aug. 06, 2014 NeuroTherm, Inc. [Member] Licensing Agreements [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Endosense S.A. [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Endosense S.A. [Member] CHF	Sep. 27, 2014 Endosense S.A. [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 19, 2013 Endosense S.A. [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 19, 2013 Endosense S.A. [Member] CHF	Sep. 27, 2014 Endosense S.A. [Member] Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2014 Endosense S.A. [Member] Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 29, 2014 Endosense S.A. [Member] Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Endosense S.A. [Member] Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 03, 2015 Endosense S.A. [Member] Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] Subsequent Event [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Nanostim [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Nanostim [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 11, 2013 Nanostim [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2013 Nanostim [Member]	Sep. 27, 2014 Nanostim [Member] Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2014 Nanostim [Member] Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 29, 2014 Nanostim [Member] Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 Nanostim [Member] Contingent Consideration Liability [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2013 CardioMEMS, Inc [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 30, 2013 CardioMEMS, Inc [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 CardioMEMS, Inc [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2014 CardioMEMS, Inc [Member]	Feb. 27, 2013 CardioMEMS, Inc [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 CardioMEMS, Inc [Member] Parent Company [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2014 CardioMEMS, Inc [Member] Noncontrolling Interest [Member] USD ($)
Business combination payments, net of cash acquired	$ 147	$ 171												$ 147							$ 171	160										$ 121
Long-term debt															50
Business Acquisition, Transaction Costs															1
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill									7		7				89	87				2				20									34
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life																	11 years	12 years	5 years
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High																							159		150								65
Contingent consideration																								132									56
Net assets acquired															147									303									210
Contingent Consideration Liability				206	206	198	195																			148	148	141	139						58	58	57	56
Contingent consideration fair value adjustment	17	1		8	8	1																				8	7	0		11					0	1	1
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Percentage																																	18.00%										19.00%
Equity Interest, Total Ownership Percentage By All Other Investors																																		82.00%								81.00%
Fair value of St. Jude Medical, Inc.'s previously held interest																					0										33	33
Equity Security Ownership Interest And Allocated Value For Purchase Option											40																																60
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent											19.00%
Additional Payment For Acquisition At Company Option											300																																375
Variable Interest Entity, Financial or Other Support, Amount										6			15																										9	28
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments								36	(36)			(36)
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Loss																																								29
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests	344		47																																						344			297	47
Business Combination, Separately Recognized Transactions, Additional Disclosures, Acquisition Costs																																									$ 18