Income taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Provisional income tax (expense) benefit due to tax cuts and jobs act		$ 46,100	$ 46,100
Tax cuts and jobs act of 2017, incomplete accounting, provisional income tax expense (benefit)			$ 154,000
Tax cuts and jobs act of 2017, incomplete accounting, expected period to pay provisional income tax expense (benefit)			8 years
Discrete tax benefit, net		2,300
Tax benefit on deemed repatriated earnings		200
Tax benefit on revaluation of deferred tax asset and liabilities		2,100
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, income tax expense (benefit)		$ 10,700
Cumulative unremitted earnings, non-permanently reinvested	$ 1,700,000
Cumulative unremitted earnings, permanently reinvested	$ 500,000
Effective income tax rate, total	(35.90%)	10.60%	45.50%
Increase (decrease) in deferred tax liability due to merger of foreign subsidiaries	$ (129,000)
Realized net benefit as result of reducing our reserves with respect to uncertain tax positions	100	$ 800	$ 5,200
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, incomplete accounting, change in tax rate, provisional income tax expense (benefit)		(2,100)
Tax effect, carry forwards	175,000
Deferred tax assets, valuation allowance	119,233	143,971
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate	4,400
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest (benefit) expense	200	200	200
Unrecognized tax benefits, penalties	(100)	(300)	$ (200)
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest (benefit) expense accrued	600	600
Unrecognized tax benefits, penalties accrued	$ 2,200	$ 2,200
Teleflex Incorporated
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Percentage of change in ownership	50.00%
Minimum
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits change within next twelve months due to potential for resolution of foreign and U.S. examinations	$ 0
Maximum
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits change within next twelve months due to potential for resolution of foreign and U.S. examinations	1,500
No Expiration Date
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Tax effect, carry forwards	10,900
After 2013 but before the end of 2018
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Tax effect, carry forwards	4,800
After 2018
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Tax effect, carry forwards	$ 159,300
Excess Tax Deductions
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Effective income tax rate, total	(35.90%)	10.60%