Acquisitions and Acquisition-Related Items , Purchase Price Allocation and Cost of Aquired Entity (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Oct. 28, 2011	Apr. 26, 2013	Apr. 27, 2012	Apr. 29, 2011	Apr. 26, 2013 Other Long-term Liabilities	Apr. 27, 2012 Other Long-term Liabilities	Apr. 26, 2013 Other Accrued Expenses	Apr. 27, 2012 Other Accrued Expenses	Nov. 01, 2012 China Kanghui Holdings	Apr. 26, 2013 China Kanghui Holdings	Aug. 31, 2011 Salient	Aug. 31, 2011 PEAK	Apr. 27, 2012 Salient Surgical Technologies - Gain on Previously Held Investment [Member]	Apr. 27, 2012 Peak Surgical - Gain on Previously Held Investment [Member]	Apr. 27, 2012 Salient and PEAK	Apr. 26, 2013 Physio-Control	Jan. 13, 2011 Ardian	Apr. 29, 2011 Ardian	Nov. 16, 2010 Ostotech	Apr. 29, 2011 Ostotech	Aug. 12, 2010 ATS Medical	Apr. 26, 2013 ATS Medical	Apr. 29, 2011 ATS Medical	Jun. 02, 2010 Axon	Apr. 29, 2011 ArdianGainonPreviouslyHeldInvestment	Nov. 01, 2012 Technology-Based China Kanghui Holdings	Nov. 01, 2012 Trade Names China Kanghui Holdings	Apr. 26, 2013 Change in the Amount of Contingent Consideration	Apr. 27, 2012 Change in the Amount of Contingent Consideration	Apr. 29, 2011 Change in the Amount of Contingent Consideration	Apr. 26, 2013 Impairment of Acquired in Process Research and Development	Apr. 29, 2011 Impairment of Acquired in Process Research and Development Structural Heart and Surgical Technologies Segments	Apr. 29, 2011 Impairment of Acquired in Process Research and Development Neuro Pace
Preexisting Relationship
Previously held ownership percentage in acquiree											8.90%	18.90%					11.30%
Purchase Price Allocation
Current assets									$ 106		$ 20	$ 5					$ 12		$ 34		$ 51
Property, plant and equipment									56		11	5					1		21		7
IPR&D											44						191		1		6
Other intangible assets									341		154	74					55		46		101			41		288	53
Goodwill									404		348	56					807		19		209			16
Inventory																			41
Other assets									11		1								3
Long-term deferred tax assets, net																					34
Total assets acquired									918		578	140					1,066		165		408
Current liabilities									29		43	10					10		19		14
Other long-term liabilities									1										15
Long-term deferred tax liabilities, net									72		38	17					36		8
Total liabilities assumed									102		81	27					46		42		14
Net assets acquired									816		497	113					1,020		123		394
Cost of Acquired Entity
Transaction value net of acquired cash									797
Acquisition Related (Gains) Charges		49	(12)	(14)						(13)			32	6	(5)	(5)		(10)		(21)			(24)		(85)			62	(45)	(14)	(5)	(15)	(15)
Debt acquired																					30
Acquired contingent consideration																					10
Acquired net tangible liabilities											49						33
Acquired net tangible assets																			57		78			5
Net value of acquistion transaction											452	96												62
Purchase price per share																			$ 6.50		$ 4.00
Cash payment																	717
Reclassification of divestiture related costs from continuing operations to discontinued operations	12
Contingent Consideration
Fair value of contingent consideration		142	231	325	120	200	22	31									212
Estimated maximum potential amount of undiscounted future contingent consideration		200
Other Disclosures
Acquisition date									Nov. 01, 2012
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life									11 years		12 years	12 years					12 years		9 years		11 years			10 years
Esimated future costs to complete research and development project																	50
Change in fair value of contingent consideration		$ (62)	$ 45																			$ 10