Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified		0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Jan. 27, 2012 Mirowski	Oct. 14, 2010 Sprint Fidelis	Jan. 27, 2012 Sprint Fidelis	Apr. 29, 2011 Sprint Fidelis	Oct. 15, 2007 Sprint Fidelis Lawsuits PersonalInjuryCases	Apr. 29, 2011 Office of Inspector General District Of Minnesota	Apr. 01, 2010 Pending Litigation Edwards
Loss Contingency, Information about Litigation Matters [Abstract]
Loss Contingency, Name of Defendant							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, Settlement [Abstract]
Loss Contingency, Settlement Agreement, Terms		The Company announced on October 14, 2010 that it had entered into an agreement to settle nearly all U.S. lawsuits as well as certain unfiled claims. 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 and the Company paid out the settlement in the third quarter of fiscal year 2012. The Company also paid out the settlement in the third quarter of fiscal year 2012 from the reserve taken in fiscal year 2011 for the Other Matters litigation. See Note 20 for additional information.
Litigation Settlement, Expense				221		24
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Gain Contingency, Unrecorded Amount	$ 119