Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,490	$ 2,257	$ 4,870	$ 4,418
UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,394	1,291	2,704	2,540
Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,096	966	2,166	1,878
EMEA [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	558	482	1,121	937
Asia Pacific [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	442	393	857	764
Latin America [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	96	90	188	173
Emerging Markets [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	276	226	531	434
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	442	400	861	780
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	245	225	477	439
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	197	175	384	341
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	308	280	601	542
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	213	196	409	379
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	96	84	192	163
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	494	480	987	943
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	290	287	580	571
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	204	193	407	372
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	79	67	154	130
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	39	34	74	66
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	40	33	79	64
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	202	154	371	295
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	160	125	291	241
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	42	29	79	54
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	662	603	1,307	1,194
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	296	280	577	558
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	366	323	730	636
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	304	273	591	534
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	152	144	297	286
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 152	$ 129	$ 294	$ 248