Restructuring and other impairment charges - additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 02, 2017 property
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	$ 14,790	$ 15,871	$ 7,819
In-process research and development impairment charge	0	41,000	0
Impairment charges		43,356
In Process Research and Development And Wholly Owned Properties
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
In-process research and development impairment charge		43,400
In-process research and development
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
In-process research and development impairment charge		41,000
Wholly Owned Properties
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
In-process research and development impairment charge		2,400
Number of properties sold | property				2
Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	13,316	13,230	5,822
Impairment charges		0
Contract termination costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	671	1,725	1,376
Impairment charges		0
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring reserve	2,100
Restructuring charges	5,495
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	5,377
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Contract termination costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	0
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Minimum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	6,500
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Minimum | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	5,500
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Minimum | Employee Relocation
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	1,000
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Minimum | Retention Bonuses
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	2,500
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Maximum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	8,000
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Maximum | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	6,200
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Maximum | Employee Relocation
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	1,800
2017 Vascular Solutions integration program | Maximum | Retention Bonuses
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	3,000
2017 EMEA restructuring program
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	5,000
Restructuring reserve	4,900
Restructuring charges	5,201
2017 EMEA restructuring program | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	4,921
2017 EMEA restructuring program | Contract termination costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	0
2017 EMEA restructuring program | Minimum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	7,100
2017 EMEA restructuring program | Maximum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	8,500
2016 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring reserve	7,665	8,895	0
Restructuring, costs incurred to date	14,600
Restructuring charges	2,097	12,510
2016 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring reserve	7,296	8,135	0
Restructuring charges	1,314	11,176
2016 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Accelerated Depreciation And Other Costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring expenses	8,300	6,400
Restructuring, costs incurred to date	14,700
2016 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Contract termination costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring reserve	369	760	0
Restructuring charges	363	866
2016 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Minimum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	34,000
Restructuring costs expected cash payment	27,000
2016 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Minimum | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	14,000
2016 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Maximum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	44,000
Restructuring costs expected cash payment	31,000
2016 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Maximum | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	15,000
Other 2016 restructuring programs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring reserve	700
Restructuring costs expected cash payment	1,000
Restructuring charges	878	3,214
Other 2016 restructuring programs | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	589	2,531
Other 2016 restructuring programs | Accelerated Depreciation And Other Costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	1,500
Other 2016 restructuring programs | Contract termination costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	212	671
Other 2016 restructuring programs | Minimum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	3,800
Other 2016 restructuring programs | Maximum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	4,700
2014 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring reserve	3,926	5,370	7,447
Restructuring, costs incurred to date	11,800
Restructuring charges	755	119	1,685
Accelerated depreciation	26,900
2014 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring reserve	3,926	5,370	7,447
Restructuring charges	687	81	1,007
2014 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Accelerated Depreciation And Other Costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	4,000	8,500	9,500
2014 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Contract termination costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	0	0	389
2014 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Minimum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	46,000	43,000
Restructuring costs expected cash payment	38,000	33,000
Restrcturing costs, expected	24,000
2014 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Minimum | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	11,000
2014 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Maximum
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	51,000	48,000
Restructuring costs expected cash payment	43,000	$ 38,000
Restrcturing costs, expected	30,000
2014 Manufacturing footprint realignment plan | Maximum | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected restructuring charges	$ 12,000
2015 Restructuring programs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			6,304
2015 Restructuring programs | Termination benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			5,009
2015 Restructuring programs | Contract termination costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			$ 1,000