Acquisitions Numeric Abstract

Name:	mdt_AcquisitionsNumericAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	mdt
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Acquisition Total Value Of Transaction

+ Details

Name:	mdt_AcquisitionTotalValueOfTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	mdt
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration Change In Fair Value

+ Details

Name:	mdt_BusinessAcquisitionContingentConsiderationChangeInFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	mdt
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to in-process research and development.

+ Details

Name:	mdt_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationIprd
Namespace Prefix:	mdt
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Tangible Assets

+ Details

Name:	mdt_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationTangibleAssets
Namespace Prefix:	mdt
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The following items are included within acquisition-related items: For business combinations prior to FY09, the amount of the purchase price that is allocated to in-process research and development (IPR&D) was expensed in the period acquired. Similarly, for transactions other than a business combination, such as asset acquisitions, IPR&D is expensed in the period acquired. Additionally, the change in the fair value of the contingent milestone consideration for the reporting period.

+ Details

Name:	mdt_PurchasedInProcessResearchAndDevelopmentCharges
Namespace Prefix:	mdt
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

+ Details

Name:	mdt_PurchasedInProcessResearchAndDevelopmentChargesAndCertainAcquistionRelatedCosts
Namespace Prefix:	mdt
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Transaction Cost Associates With Potential Divesture of physio-control business.

+ Details

Name:	mdt_TransactionCostAssociatesWithPotentialDivesture
Namespace Prefix:	mdt
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, as of the acquisition date, of potential payments under the contingent consideration arrangement including cash and shares.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141R
-Paragraph 68
-Subparagraph g(1)

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph f

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141R
-Paragraph 29, 30, 41, 42, 64

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141R
-Paragraph 65
-Subparagraph a, b

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionContingentConsiderationAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of potential cash payments that could result from the contingent consideration arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph f

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionContingentConsiderationPotentialCashPayment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cash paid to acquire the entity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityCashPaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total cost of the acquired entity including the cash paid to shareholders of acquired entities, fair value of debt and equity securities issued to shareholders of acquired entities, the fair value of the liabilities assumed, and direct costs of the acquisition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph d

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityPurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Month, date and year when the results of operations of the acquired entity began to be included in the income statement of the combined entity. For disclosure purposes, the effective date of an acquisition equates to the acquisition date, when acquisition date is defined as the date on which the acquirer obtained control of the acquired entity. The effective date of an acquisition may be either earlier or later than the date on which the acquisition agreement was executed (closed).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141R
-Paragraph 10, 11

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141R
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph c

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141R
-Paragraph 68
-Subparagraph b

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionEffectiveDateOfAcquisition
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to an identifiable intangible asset that will be amortized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 52

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph e

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationAmortizableIntangibleAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to current liabilities of the acquired entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph e

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 37
-Subparagraph g

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)
-Number 98-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationCurrentLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of goodwill arising from a business combination, which is the excess of the cost of the acquired entity over the amounts assigned to assets acquired and liabilities assumed.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 52
-Subparagraph c

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 53
-Subparagraph d

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to notes payables and long-term debt assumed from the acquired entity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationNotesPayableAndLongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The useful life of all finite-lived intangible assets. This may be stated as a fixed number (for example, 10 years) if all assets have the same useful life, or it can be stated in a range (for example, six to eight years) if there is a range of useful lives in the asset group.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
-Paragraph 12, 13, 14

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The consolidating entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Acquisitions (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Jul. 29, 2011	Jul. 30, 2010	Apr. 29, 2011	Apr. 30, 2010	Jun. 02, 2010 Axon Surgical [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Axon Surgical [Member] Years	Aug. 31, 2011 Peak Surgical [Member]	Aug. 31, 2011 Salient Surgical [Member]
Acquisitions (Numeric) [Abstract]
Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration Change In Fair Value	$ 8	$ 2
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition Total Value Of Transaction							113	497
Business Acquisition Effective Date Of Acquisition					June 2, 2010		August 31, 2011	August 31, 2011
Business Acquisition Cost Of Acquired Entity Purchase Price						62
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Amortizable Intangible Assets						41
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Tangible Assets						5
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Goodwill Amount						16
Finite Lived Intangible Assets Useful Life						10
Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration Potential Cash Payment	240
Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration At Fair Value	343	120	335	118
Acquisition-related items	8	15
Business Acquisition Cost Of Acquired Entity Cash Paid							96	452
Minority Interest Ownership Percentage By Parent							18.90%	8.90%
Acquisition-related items	13	15
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Notes Payable And Long Term Debt	261		120
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Iprd		15
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Current Liabilities	82
Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration Change In Fair Value	8	2
Transaction Cost Associates With Potential Divesture	$ 5