Divestitures and Assets Held for Sale (Details 1) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Jan. 03, 2011
Divestitures and Assets Held For Sale (Textuals) [Abstract]
Purchase price for divestiture of business/controlling interest	$ 1,500,000,000
Proceeds from divestitures of businesses	1,450,000,000			1,426,000,000
Proceeds from divestiture of business, excluding amounts placed in escrow	1,426,000,000
Amount placed into escrow	24,000,000
Amount released from escrow				10,000,000
Contingent receivable for divestiture of business		50,000,000		50,000,000
Approximate period of transfer or separation of certain manufacturing facilities				24 months
Revenues generated by the Neurovascular business as a percentage of our consolidated net sales						340,000,000
Neurovascular 2010 net sales						4
Liabilities assumed by Strkyer in divestiture							0
Gain on divestiture of business			760,000,000
Gain on divestiture of business, net of tax			530,000,000
Deferred gain to be recognized upon the release of escrowed funds		19,000,000	27,000,000	19,000,000
Recognition of Deferred Revenue		$ 8,000,000