General (Notes)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
General	GENERAL The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Spectranetics Corporation, a Delaware corporation, and its wholly-owned Dutch subsidiary, Spectranetics International, B.V., including the accounts of two wholly-owned subsidiaries of Spectranetics International, B.V., Spectranetics Deutschland GmbH and Spectranetics Austria GmbH (collectively, the “Company”). All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company develops, manufactures, markets and distributes single-use medical devices used in minimally invasive procedures within the cardiovascular system. The Company’s Vascular Intervention products include a range of peripheral and cardiac laser catheters for ablation of occluded arteries above and below the knee (peripheral atherectomy) and within coronary arteries (coronary atherectomy). The Company also markets aspiration and thrombectomy catheters for the removal of thrombus (thrombus management) and support catheters to facilitate crossing of coronary and peripheral arterial blockages (crossing solutions). In addition, the Company distributes therapeutic infusion system catheters for vascular delivery of drugs and diagnostic agents. The Company’s Lead Management products include excimer laser sheaths and cardiac lead management accessories for the removal of pacemaker and defibrillator cardiac leads. The Company prepares its condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. As such, management is required to make certain estimates, judgments and assumptions based upon the information available. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the carrying amount of property and equipment, intangible assets and goodwill, valuation allowances and reserves for receivables, inventories and deferred income tax assets, stock-based compensation expense, accrued indemnification costs, estimated clinical trial expenses, accrued estimates for incurred but not reported claims under partially self-insured employee health benefit programs, and loss contingencies, including those related to litigation. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The information included in the accompanying condensed consolidated interim financial statements is unaudited and should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the assets, liabilities and results of operations for the interim periods presented have been reflected herein and are of a normal, recurring nature. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

General (Notes)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

GENERAL

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Spectranetics Corporation, a Delaware corporation, and its wholly-owned Dutch subsidiary, Spectranetics International, B.V., including the accounts of two wholly-owned subsidiaries of Spectranetics International, B.V., Spectranetics Deutschland GmbH and Spectranetics Austria GmbH (collectively, the “Company”). All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Company develops, manufactures, markets and distributes single-use medical devices used in minimally invasive procedures within the cardiovascular system. The Company’s Vascular Intervention products include a range of peripheral and cardiac laser catheters for ablation of occluded arteries above and below the knee (peripheral atherectomy) and within coronary arteries (coronary atherectomy). The Company also markets aspiration and thrombectomy catheters for the removal of thrombus (thrombus management) and support catheters to facilitate crossing of coronary and peripheral arterial blockages (crossing solutions). In addition, the Company distributes therapeutic infusion system catheters for vascular delivery of drugs and diagnostic agents. The Company’s Lead Management products include excimer laser sheaths and cardiac lead management accessories for the removal of pacemaker and defibrillator cardiac leads.

The Company prepares its condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. As such, management is required to make certain estimates, judgments and assumptions based upon the information available. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the carrying amount of property and equipment, intangible assets and goodwill, valuation allowances and reserves for receivables, inventories and deferred income tax assets, stock-based compensation expense, accrued indemnification costs, estimated clinical trial expenses, accrued estimates for incurred but not reported claims under partially self-insured employee health benefit programs, and loss contingencies, including those related to litigation. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The information included in the accompanying condensed consolidated interim financial statements is unaudited and should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the assets, liabilities and results of operations for the interim periods presented have been reflected herein and are of a normal, recurring nature. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.