Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Select Balance Sheet Information (Details Textual) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Security Customers	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2008	Jun. 30, 2012	Aug. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009	Sep. 30, 2012 In Vitro Diagnostics [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 In Vitro Diagnostics [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 In Vitro Diagnostics [Member]	Aug. 31, 2010 In Vitro Diagnostics [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 SurModics Pharmaceuticals Subsidiary [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 SurModics Pharmaceuticals Subsidiary [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Patents [Member]	Jul. 31, 2007 Paragon Intellectual Properties, LLC and Apollo Therapeutics, LLC [Member]	Jan. 31, 2005 OctoPlus [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 OctoPlus [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 OctoPlus [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 OctoPlus [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 OctoPlus [Member]	Sep. 30, 2008 OctoPlus [Member]	May 01, 2005 ThermopeutiX, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2006 ViaCyte [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 ViaCyte [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Nexeon MedSystems, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2009 Nexeon MedSystems, Inc. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2010 Vessix Vascular, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Vessix Vascular, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Vessix Vascular, Inc. [Member]	Aug. 31, 2009 Vessix Vascular, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] ThermopeutiX, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] ViaCyte [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] Nexeon MedSystems, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] Vessix Vascular, Inc. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Laboratory Fixtures and Equipment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Prototypes and Other Equipment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Certain Fixed Asset [Member]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Select Balance Sheet Information (Textual) [Abstract]
Initial Equity Investment in Octoplus																		$ 3,900,000
Company's Total Investment																				6,000,000
Percentage of Ownership Interest in OctoPlus																				10.00%
Impairment Loss on investment																			800,000				4,300,000
Previous cost basis																				1,700,000
Realized Gain or Loss																					0	0
Unrealized Loss/Gain		335,000	(804,000)	(437,000)															(200,000)		(500,000)	900,000
Cost basis in the Company's investment in OctoPlus		900,000
Expected gain on sale of investments																				100,000										1,200,000
Investment in various securities																								1,200,000	5,200,000	600,000						2,000,000
Percentage of ownership interest																																			20.00%	5.00%	20.00%	20.00%
Cost basis investment in company after consideration impairment																									4,700,000
Equity Investments																	3,500,000
Additional Equity Investment					2,500,000																							500,000
Impairment Loss on the Investment																											5,300,000				2,400,000		200,000
Proceeds on Sale of Investment at Maturity																														5,500,000
Follow on Investment																													500,000
Asset impairment charges	28,100,000			3,006,000										28,100,000		500,000																							800,000	400,000	1,300,000
Goodwill	8,010,000	8,010,000	8,010,000							8,000,000	8,000,000
Goodwill impairment charge										0	0	0			5,700,000
Excess in fair value over carrying value													82.00%
Major customer percentage of total revenue		19.00%
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Select Balance Sheet Information (Additional Textual) [Abstract]
Number of held to maturity debt securities		0
Amortized cost of held-to-maturity debt securities	3,000,000		3,000,000			0
Fair market value of held-to-maturity debt securities	3,100,000		3,100,000
Depreciation expense		2,200,000	2,400,000	2,800,000
Recognized Revenue		100,000	100,000	1,500,000
Amortization Expense		700,000	700,000	800,000
Company's stock price		$ 19.00		$ 11.92			$ 12.03		$ 24.13																									$ 19.00
Percentage of increase in market capitalization over Company's book value								64.00%
Taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities		100,000	100,000	100,000
Product sales payment terms, Minimum		30 days
Product sales payment terms, Maximum		45 days
Deferred revenue	$ 300,000	$ 200,000	$ 300,000
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding excluded outstanding stock options		0.6	1.1	1.5
Number of customers represents more than 6% of revenue		0