Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	$ 7,477	$ 7,376	$ 7,085
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,490	1,507	1,546
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	8,068	7,462	7,072
Impact of foreign currency fluctuations	(591)	(86)	13
Net sales	7,477	7,380	7,143
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	7,477	7,376	7,085
Segment Reporting, Sales from Divested Businesses	0	4	58
Amortization expense	(495)	(438)	(410)
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	(327)	(301)	120
Other expense, net	(323)	(208)	(343)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(650)	(509)	(223)
Depreciation	274	287	279
Goodwill	6,473	5,898	5,693
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	6,194	5,606	5,950
TOTAL ASSETS	18,133	17,024
Long-Lived Assets	$ 14,157	13,011	13,189
Segment Reporting (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | reportablesegments	3
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	$ 1,018	1,002	998
Net sales
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	4,229	3,885	3,743
Japan [Member]
Net sales
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	602	678	744
IRELAND
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	170	197	240
Other countries [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	302	308	308
Net sales
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	2,646	2,813	2,598
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,242	2,092	1,995
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Net sales
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	(486)	(308)	(203)
Depreciation	(9)	0	(4)
Special Charges [Member]
Net sales
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	(1,502)	(1,357)	(822)
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	975	861	805
Cardiovascular [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	3,217	2,953	2,800
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	972	767	665
Depreciation	116	120	111
Goodwill	3,451	3,426	3,252
TOTAL ASSETS	1,583	1,501
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	1,934	1,922	1,882
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	248	228	154
Rhythm Management [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,182	2,150	2,036
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	328	289	211
Depreciation	94	92	99
Goodwill	292	290	294
TOTAL ASSETS	1,279	1,329
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	1,422	1,343	1,277
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	735	542	505
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	512	474	454
MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,669	2,359	2,236
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	856	746	679
Depreciation	73	75	73
Goodwill	2,730	2,182	2,147
TOTAL ASSETS	1,141	982
Total allocated to reportable segments [Member]
Net sales
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	2,156	1,802	1,555
Depreciation	283	287	283
TOTAL ASSETS	4,003	3,812
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Net sales
TOTAL ASSETS	1,463	1,708
Interventional Cardiology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	2,033	2,057	1,997
Cardiac Rhythm Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	1,807	1,912	1,886
Endoscopy [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	1,306	1,323	1,280
Peripheral Interventions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	904	850	809
Urology / Women's Health [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	693	535	505
Neuromodulation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	501	472	453
Electrophysiology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	$ 233	$ 227	$ 155