Certain Litigation Charges, Net	12 Months Ended
Apr. 27, 2012
Information about Litigation Matters [Abstract]
Certain Litigation Charges, Net	2. Certain Litigation Charges, Net The Company classifies material litigation reserves and gains recognized as certain litigation charges, net. During fiscal year 2012, the Company recorded certain litigation charges, net of $90 million related to the agreement in principle to settle the federal securities class action initiated by the Minneapolis Firefighters' Relief Association in December 2008. During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2012, Medtronic reached a settlement agreement to resolve all of these class claims for $85 million and incurred $5 million in additional litigation fees as a result of the agreement. Refer to Note 17 for additional information. During fiscal year 2011, the Company recorded certain litigation charges, net of $245 million related primarily to a $221 million settlement involving the Sprint Fidelis family of defibrillation leads and charges for certain Other Matters litigation. The Sprint Fidelis settlement related to the resolution of certain outstanding product liability litigation related to the Sprint Fidelis family of defibrillation leads that were subject to a field action announced October 15, 2007. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2012, the Company paid out the settlement for both the Sprint Fidelis settlement and for certain Other Matters litigation. Refer to Note 17 for additional information. During fiscal year 2010, the Company recorded certain litigation charges, net of $374 million related to settlements with Abbott Laboratories (Abbott) and W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. (Gore). The Abbott settlement accounted for $444 million in litigation charges and the Gore settlement accounted for a $70 million litigation gain. The Abbott settlement related to the resolution of all outstanding intellectual property litigation. The terms of the Abbott agreement stipulate that neither party will sue the other in the field of coronary stent and stent delivery systems for a period of at least ten years, subject to certain conditions. Both parties also agreed to a cross-license of the disputed patents within the defined field. The $444 million settlement amount included a $400 million payment made to Abbott and a $42 million success payment made to evYsio Medical Devices, LLC (evYsio). In addition, a $2 million payment was made to evYsio in connection with an amendment to the parties' existing agreement in order to expand the scope of the definition of the license field from evYsio. The Company paid the settlement in the second quarter of fiscal year 2010. The Gore settlement related to the resolution of outstanding patent litigation related to selected patents in Medtronic's Jervis and Wiktor patent families. The terms of the agreement stipulate that neither party will sue the other in the defined field of use, subject to certain conditions. The Company granted Gore a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive license in the defined field of use. In addition and subject to certain conditions, Gore began paying the Company quarterly payments in January 2010 that will continue through the fiscal quarter ending October 2018.

Certain Litigation Charges, Net

12 Months Ended

Apr. 27, 2012

Information about Litigation Matters [Abstract]

2. Certain Litigation Charges, Net

The Company classifies material litigation reserves and gains recognized as certain litigation charges, net.

During fiscal year 2012, the Company recorded certain litigation charges, net of $90 million related to the agreement in principle to settle the federal securities class action initiated by the Minneapolis Firefighters' Relief Association in December 2008. During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2012, Medtronic reached a settlement agreement to resolve all of these class claims for $85 million and incurred $5 million in additional litigation fees as a result of the agreement. Refer to Note 17 for additional information.

During fiscal year 2011, the Company recorded certain litigation charges, net of $245 million related primarily to a $221 million settlement involving the Sprint Fidelis family of defibrillation leads and charges for certain Other Matters litigation. The Sprint Fidelis settlement related to the resolution of certain outstanding product liability litigation related to the Sprint Fidelis family of defibrillation leads that were subject to a field action announced October 15, 2007. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2012, the Company paid out the settlement for both the Sprint Fidelis settlement and for certain Other Matters litigation. Refer to Note 17 for additional information.

During fiscal year 2010, the Company recorded certain litigation charges, net of $374 million related to settlements with Abbott Laboratories (Abbott) and W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. (Gore). The Abbott settlement accounted for $444 million in litigation charges and the Gore settlement accounted for a $70 million litigation gain. The Abbott settlement related to the resolution of all outstanding intellectual property litigation. The terms of the Abbott agreement stipulate that neither party will sue the other in the field of coronary stent and stent delivery systems for a period of at least ten years, subject to certain conditions. Both parties also agreed to a cross-license of the disputed patents within the defined field. The $444 million settlement amount included a $400 million payment made to Abbott and a $42 million success payment made to evYsio Medical Devices, LLC (evYsio). In addition, a $2 million payment was made to evYsio in connection with an amendment to the parties' existing agreement in order to expand the scope of the definition of the license field from evYsio. The Company paid the settlement in the second quarter of fiscal year 2010. The Gore settlement related to the resolution of outstanding patent litigation related to selected patents in Medtronic's Jervis and Wiktor patent families. The terms of the agreement stipulate that neither party will sue the other in the defined field of use, subject to certain conditions. The Company granted Gore a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive license in the defined field of use. In addition and subject to certain conditions, Gore began paying the Company quarterly payments in January 2010 that will continue through the fiscal quarter ending October 2018.