Divestitures	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Divestitures and Assets Held for Sale [Abstract]
DIVESTITURES	DIVESTITURES In January 2011, we closed the sale of our Neurovascular business to Stryker Corporation for a purchase price of $1.500 billion in cash. We received $1.450 billion at closing, including an upfront payment of $1.426 billion, and $24 million which was placed into escrow and released throughout 2011 upon the completion of local closings in certain foreign jurisdictions. During the third quarter of 2012, we received an additional $10 million of consideration, which we recorded as a gain in our accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. We will receive an additional $40 million contingent upon the transfer or separation of certain manufacturing facilities, which we expect will occur during 2013. Due to our continuing involvement in the operations of the Neurovascular business, the divestiture does not meet the criteria for presentation as a discontinued operation. We recorded a pre-tax gain of $760 million ($530 million after-tax) during the first quarter of 2011 associated with the closing of the transaction. Revenue generated by the Neurovascular business was $32 million in the third quarter of 2012, $91 million in the first nine months of 2012, $34 million in the third quarter of 2011, and $111 million in the first nine months of 2011. We continue to generate net sales pursuant to our supply and distribution agreements with Stryker; however, these net sales are at significantly lower levels and at reduced gross profit margins as compared to periods prior to the divestiture.

Divestitures

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Divestitures and Assets Held for Sale [Abstract]

In January 2011, we closed the sale of our Neurovascular business to Stryker Corporation for a purchase price of $1.500 billion in cash. We received $1.450 billion at closing, including an upfront payment of $1.426 billion, and $24 million which was placed into escrow and released throughout 2011 upon the completion of local closings in certain foreign jurisdictions. During the third quarter of 2012, we received an additional $10 million of consideration, which we recorded as a gain in our accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. We will receive an additional $40 million contingent upon the transfer or separation of certain manufacturing facilities, which we expect will occur during 2013. Due to our continuing involvement in the operations of the Neurovascular business, the divestiture does not meet the criteria for presentation as a discontinued operation. We recorded a pre-tax gain of $760 million ($530 million after-tax) during the first quarter of 2011 associated with the closing of the transaction.

Revenue generated by the Neurovascular business was $32 million in the third quarter of 2012, $91 million in the first nine months of 2012, $34 million in the third quarter of 2011, and $111 million in the first nine months of 2011. We continue to generate net sales pursuant to our supply and distribution agreements with Stryker; however, these net sales are at significantly lower levels and at reduced gross profit margins as compared to periods prior to the divestiture.