Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) reportablesegments	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments \| reportablesegments			3
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	$ 2,216	$ 2,096	$ 6,700	$ 6,221
Impact Of Foreign Currency Fluctuations On Net Sales	6	9	(60)	(26)
Net sales	2,222	2,105	6,640	6,195
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	618	571	1,856	1,664
Amortization expense	(139)	(136)	(424)	(408)
Operating income (loss)	377	348	967	307
Other expense, net	(68)	(91)	(261)	(219)
Income (loss) before income taxes	309	257	706	88
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	589	565	1,806	1,705
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	268	256	812	764
Cardiovascular [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	857	821	2,618	2,469
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	243	247	756	751
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	461	465	1,417	1,380
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	71	60	203	180
Rhythm Management [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	532	525	1,620	1,560
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	103	90	319	231
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	402	365	1,194	1,065
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	272	247	819	732
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	153	138	449	395
MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	827	750	2,462	2,192
Operating Income Allocated to Reportable Segments	272	234	781	682
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Net sales
Operating (Loss) Income Unallocated to Segment	(60)	(60)	(215)	(162)
Special Charges [Member]
Net sales
Operating (Loss) Income Unallocated to Segment	$ (42)	$ (27)	$ (250)	$ (787)

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