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Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 01, 2018
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Contract with Customer, Liability	$ 373			$ 411
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	9,823	$ 9,048	$ 8,386
Contract with Customer, Liability, Revenue Recognized	117
EMEA [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,176	1,940	1,802
UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	5,538	5,162	4,759
Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	4,286	3,885	3,627
Asia Pacific [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,727	1,587	1,492
Latin America and Canada [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	383	358	333
Emerging Markets [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,072	909	793
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,762	1,619	1,440
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] \| UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	980	894	770
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member] \| Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	781	724	670
Global Urology and Pelvic Health Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,245	1,124	1,005
Global Urology and Pelvic Health Reporting Unit [Member] \| UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	864	785	711
Global Urology and Pelvic Health Reporting Unit [Member] \| Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	381	339	294
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,951	1,895	1,850
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] \| UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,159	1,135	1,110
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member] \| Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	792	760	740
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	311	278	243
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] \| UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	150	136	129
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member] \| Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	161	142	114
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	779	635	556
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] \| UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	624	517	474
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member] \| Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	155	118	82
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,590	2,419	2,281
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] \| UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,154	1,122	1,013
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member] \| Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,436	1,297	1,268
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	1,187	1,081	1,011
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] \| UNITED STATES
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	608	575	552
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member] \| Non-US [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 579	$ 506	$ 459