Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified		0 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Oct. 28, 2011 Mirowski [Member]	Oct. 14, 2010 Sprint Fidelis [Member]	Oct. 28, 2011 Sprint Fidelis [Member] ClassActionSuits PersonalInjuryCases Lawsuits	Apr. 29, 2011 Sprint Fidelis [Member]	Apr. 29, 2011 Office of Inspector General District of Minnesota [Member]	Oct. 28, 2011 Pending Litigation [Member] Edwards [Member]	Apr. 01, 2010 Pending Litigation [Member] Edwards [Member]
Loss Contingency, Information about Litigation Matters [Abstract]
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant			the Company			Medtronic CoreValve LLC
Loss Contingency, Name of Plaintiff						Edwards Lifesciences, Inc.
Loss Contingency, Damages Awarded							$ 74
Loss Contingency, Claims Quantities [Abstract]
Loss Contingency, Total Claims Filed, Number			4,000
Loss Contingency, Putative Class Action Suits, Number			47
Loss Contingency, Personal Injury Cases, Number			9,000
Loss Contingency, State Court Commenced Suits, Number			2,800
Loss Contingency, Law Suits Consolidated for Pretrial Proceedings, Number			1,200
Loss Contingency, Settlement [Abstract]
Loss Contingency, Settlement Agreement, Terms		The Company announced on October 14, 2010 that it had entered into an agreement to settle the pending lawsuits as well as certain unfiled claims subject to opt-out rights by both plaintiffs and the Company, including the Company’s right to cancel the agreement. The parties subsequently reached an adjusted settlement agreement pursuant to which Medtronic waived its right to cancel the agreement and agreed to pay a total of $221 million to resolve over 14,000 filed and unfiled claims.	The parties subsequently reached an adjusted settlement agreement to pay a total of $221 million to resolve over 14,000 filed and unfiled claims. See Note 19 for additional information.
Litigation Settlement, Expense				221	24
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Gain Contingency, Unrecorded Amount	$ 117