Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 reportablesegments reportingunits	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 5,552		$ 5,973
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(9,900)		(9,477)
Goodwill			1,764
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments	2
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	0
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	(3,843)		(3,785)
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, including goodwill	15,694		15,692
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	9,335		9,389
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, accumulated write-offs	(9,900)		(9,477)
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charge	(423)	0
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	6,177		6,289
Number of reporting units with material goodwill at higher risk of failure of step one of impairment test	2
Goodwill, Impairment Loss, Net of Subsequent Adjustment			2,380
Goodwill and intangible asset impairment losses in period	423
Number of Reportable Segments	3
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Terminal value growth rate	2.00%
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	12.00%
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net	4,569
Neuromodulation [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Level of excess fair value over carrying value for reporting unit	17.00%
Hypothetical change in WACC	0.80%
Hypothetical change in revenue growth rates	0.90%
Cardiovascular [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	3,251		3,249
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(1,479)		(1,479)
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments	2
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	0
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charge	0
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Allocated Goodwill	1,356
Electrophysiology [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Level of excess fair value over carrying value for reporting unit	56.00%
Hypothetical change in WACC	4.40%
Hypothetical change in revenue growth rates	4.20%
Rhythm Management [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	154		577
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(6,960)		(6,537)
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments	0
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	0
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charge	(423)
MedSurg [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	2,147		2,147
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(1,461)		(1,461)
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments	0
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	0
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charge	0
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Allocated Goodwill	154
Unclassified Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	(9,900)		(9,477)
Goodwill, Gross	15,452		15,450
Purchased research and development [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	443		443
Technology-related [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	242		242
Technology-related [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	(3,088)		(3,005)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	8,026		8,020
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	(440)		(428)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	810		810
Patents [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization	(315)		(352)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross	$ 499		$ 559