Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 98,415		$ 185,488	$ 213,096		$ 161,020
Accounts receivable, net	732,756		606,084
Merchandise inventories	989,251		916,311
Other current assets	311,499		254,156
Total current assets	2,131,921		1,962,039
Property and equipment, net	203,587		191,718
Goodwill, net	690,230		414,936
Intangible assets, net	231,886		82,511
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Investments in and Advance to Affiliates, Subsidiaries, Associates, and Joint Ventures	0		0
Other assets, net	76,532		66,548
Total assets	3,334,156		2,717,752
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	875,630		750,750
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	31,998		45,051
Other current liabilities	296,663		238,837
Total current liabilities	1,204,291		1,034,638
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	917,256		564,583
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Intercompany debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	137,539		90,383
Other liabilities	71,286		68,110
Total liabilities	2,330,372		1,757,714
Equity
Common stock	122,499		122,062
Paid-in capital	224,183		219,955
Retained earnings (deficit)	683,444		685,504
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(26,342)	$ (38,926)	(67,483)	(48,562)	$ (50,263)	(51,825)
Total equity	1,003,784		960,038	986,683		992,590
Total liabilities and equity	3,334,156		2,717,752
Owens & Minor, Inc.
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	11,456		38,015	156,484		103,284
Accounts receivable, net	30,770		0
Merchandise inventories	0		0
Other current assets	193		106
Total current assets	42,419		38,121
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Goodwill, net	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Investments in and Advance to Affiliates, Subsidiaries, Associates, and Joint Ventures	2,094,759		2,044,963
Other assets, net	0		0
Total assets	2,137,178		2,083,084
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	0		0
Other current liabilities	7,127		7,106
Total current liabilities	7,127		7,106
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	545,830		544,838
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	580,437		571,102
Intercompany debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	1,133,394		1,123,046
Equity
Common stock	122,499		122,062
Paid-in capital	224,183		219,955
Retained earnings (deficit)	683,444		685,504
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(26,342)		(67,483)
Total equity	1,003,784		960,038
Total liabilities and equity	2,137,178		2,083,084
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	1,145		61,266	20,001		5,614
Accounts receivable, net	595,202		526,170
Merchandise inventories	909,406		856,566
Other current assets	117,403		86,907
Total current assets	1,623,156		1,530,909
Property and equipment, net	103,765		97,725
Goodwill, net	180,006		180,006
Intangible assets, net	10,100		11,655
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	645,264		573,395
Investments in and Advance to Affiliates, Subsidiaries, Associates, and Joint Ventures	0		0
Other assets, net	43,521		49,887
Total assets	2,605,812		2,443,577
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	768,780		683,189
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	18,615		32,814
Other current liabilities	110,580		93,327
Total current liabilities	897,975		809,330
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	6,743		3,219
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Intercompany debt	138,890		138,890
Deferred income taxes	69,722		70,280
Other liabilities	61,142		60,578
Total liabilities	1,174,472		1,082,297
Equity
Common stock	0		0
Paid-in capital	174,613		174,614
Retained earnings (deficit)	1,267,294		1,196,341
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(10,567)		(9,675)
Total equity	1,431,340		1,361,280
Total liabilities and equity	2,605,812		2,443,577
Non-guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	85,814		86,207	36,611		52,122
Accounts receivable, net	114,563		90,016
Merchandise inventories	82,065		61,505
Other current assets	193,903		167,143
Total current assets	476,345		404,871
Property and equipment, net	99,822		93,993
Goodwill, net	510,224		234,930
Intangible assets, net	221,786		70,856
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	0		0
Investments in and Advance to Affiliates, Subsidiaries, Associates, and Joint Ventures	0		0
Other assets, net	33,011		16,661
Total assets	1,341,188		821,311
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	114,644		75,512
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	13,383		12,237
Other current liabilities	178,956		138,404
Total current liabilities	306,983		226,153
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	364,683		16,526
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	65,002		48,044
Intercompany debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	67,817		20,103
Other liabilities	10,144		7,532
Total liabilities	814,629		318,358
Equity
Common stock	0		0
Paid-in capital	583,872		583,872
Retained earnings (deficit)	(41,539)		(42,032)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(15,774)		(38,887)
Total equity	526,559		502,953
Total liabilities and equity	1,341,188		821,311
Eliminations
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	$ 0		$ 0
Accounts receivable, net	(7,779)		(10,102)
Merchandise inventories	(2,220)		(1,760)
Other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	(9,999)		(11,862)
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Goodwill, net	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Due from O&M and subsidiaries	(645,264)		(573,395)
Investments in and Advance to Affiliates, Subsidiaries, Associates, and Joint Ventures	(2,094,759)		(2,044,963)
Other assets, net	0		0
Total assets	(2,750,022)		(2,630,220)
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	(7,794)		(7,951)
Accrued payroll and related liabilities	0		0
Other current liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	(7,794)		(7,951)
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	0		0
Due to O&M and subsidiaries	(645,439)		(619,146)
Intercompany debt	(138,890)		(138,890)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	(792,123)		(765,987)
Equity
Common stock	0		0
Paid-in capital	(758,485)		(758,486)
Retained earnings (deficit)	(1,225,755)		(1,154,309)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	26,341		48,562
Total equity	(1,957,899)		(1,864,233)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (2,750,022)		$ (2,630,220)