Commitments And Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended						12 Months Ended							3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 30, 2009 Hernia Repair Products [Member]	Jun. 22, 2007 Hernia Repair Products [Member]	Feb. 16, 2012 Hernia Repair Products [Member]	Aug. 31, 2010 Hernia Repair Products [Member] Superior Court Of State Of Rhode Island [Member]	Feb. 16, 2012 Hernia Repair Products [Member] Federal Law Claims [Member]	Feb. 16, 2012 Hernia Repair Products [Member] State Law Claims [Member]	Feb. 16, 2012 Hernia Repair Products [Member] State Law Claims [Member] Superior Court Of State Of Rhode Island [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 W.L. Gore [Member]	Jul. 31, 2010 W.L. Gore [Member]	Mar. 31, 2009 W.L. Gore [Member]	Dec. 31, 2007 W.L. Gore [Member]	Feb. 16, 2012 Women's Health Product Claims [Member]	Feb. 16, 2012 Women's Health Product Claims [Member] Federal Law Claims [Member]	Feb. 16, 2012 Filter Product Claims [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Hernia Products Claims [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Hernia Products Claims [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Hernia Products Claims [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Brachytherapy Matter [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Brachytherapy Matter [Member]	Feb. 16, 2012 United States [Member] Hernia Repair Products [Member]	Feb. 16, 2012 Canadian Provinces [Member] Hernia Repair Products [Member]
Number of lawsuits									1,923	1,378	1,358						411
Number of individual plaintiffs							3,452									532		48
Number of putative class actions																								2	4
Number of Multidistrict Litigations						1
Total insurance coverage																				$ 25
Patent infringement jury award for past damages															185
U. S. District Court award for damages								1.5					109.0	371.0
Legal settlement costs, gross	195.5																		184.3			51.0	51.0
Legal settlement costs, net of tax																			180.6				40.8
U. S. District Court awarded Bard attorneys' fees														19
U. S. District Court awarded prejudgment interest														20
Court-assessed royalty rate, lower limit													12.50%
Court-assessed royalty rate, upper limit													20.00%
Escrow deposit representing an estimation of liability												332.0
Accruals for product liability and other legal matters		287.3	54.4
Payment to qualified settlement funds																				149.2
Payment from qualified settlement funds to qualified claimants																				2.1
Receivables from insurance companies		51.0	54.6
Receivable insurance coverage disputed																				25
Product claims, charges incurred before taxes					18.0
Product claims, charges incurred after tax					11.2
Minimum annual rentals, 2012		22.7
Minimum annual rentals, 2013		20.3
Minimum annual rentals, 2014		17.9
Minimum annual rentals, 2015		15.4
Minimum annual rentals, 2016		11.1
Minimum annual rentals, thereafter		43.0
Approximated operating leases rental expense, Total		25.1	22.8	22.6
Insurance receivable write-off charged to other income expense net, before tax																					25.0
Insurance receivable write-off charged to other income expense net, after tax																					$ 24.5