Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended													1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	21 Months Ended	1 Months Ended						1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2013 W. L. Gore	Jul. 31, 2010 W. L. Gore	Mar. 31, 2009 W. L. Gore	Dec. 31, 2007 W. L. Gore	Mar. 31, 2009 W. L. Gore Attorney Fees	Mar. 31, 2009 W. L. Gore Prejudgment Interest	Jul. 31, 2010 W. L. Gore Minimum	Jul. 31, 2010 W. L. Gore Maximum	Sep. 30, 2013 Total Receivables Related to Product Liability Matters	Dec. 31, 2012 Total Receivables Related to Product Liability Matters	Jun. 30, 2007 Hernia Product Claims LegalMatter	Sep. 30, 2013 Hernia Product Claims	Sep. 30, 2013 Hernia Product Claims	Mar. 27, 2013 Hernia Product Claims Arbitration Proceedings Carriers	Oct. 17, 2013 Hernia Product Claims Subsequent Event Plaintiff	Oct. 17, 2013 Hernia Product Claims Subsequent Event United States LegalMatter	Oct. 17, 2013 Hernia Product Claims Subsequent Event Canada LegalMatter	Oct. 17, 2013 Hernia Product Claims Subsequent Event Federal Law Claims LegalMatter	Oct. 17, 2013 Hernia Product Claims Subsequent Event State Law Claims LegalMatter	Oct. 17, 2013 Hernia Product Claims Subsequent Event Superior Court of State of Rhode Island Plaintiff	Oct. 17, 2013 Hernia Product Claims Subsequent Event Superior Court of State of Rhode Island State Law Claims LegalMatter	Jul. 31, 2012 Women's Health Product Claims	Sep. 30, 2013 Women's Health Product Claims Carriers	Jul. 31, 2013 Women's Health Product Claims Multi District Litigation	Sep. 30, 2013 Women's Health Product Claims Multi District Litigation Claim	Sep. 30, 2013 Women's Health Product Claims New Jersey state case Claim	Oct. 17, 2013 Women's Health Product Claims Subsequent Event Plaintiff	Oct. 17, 2013 Women's Health Product Claims Subsequent Event United States LegalMatter	Oct. 17, 2013 Women's Health Product Claims Subsequent Event Canada LegalMatter	Dec. 31, 2011 Brachytherapy Matter	Jul. 31, 2013 Filter Product Claims State Law Claims LegalMatter	Jun. 30, 2013 Filter Product Claims State Law Claims LegalMatter	Oct. 17, 2013 Filter Product Claims Subsequent Event Plaintiff	Oct. 17, 2013 Filter Product Claims Subsequent Event State Law Claims LegalMatter	Oct. 17, 2013 Filter Product Claims Subsequent Event Minimum State Law Claims LegalMatter
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits																			1		745	720		685
Number of individual plaintiffs																		1,575					785							9,635						40
Number of putative class actions																			2												5	3					3
Number of previously filed class action lawsuits																			10
Number of Putative Class Actions Settled																				3
Number of Multidistrict Litigations														1
Expected trial date scheduled by Court																														2013-12
U. S. District Court award for plaintiff's damages																									$ 3.6		$ 2.0
Loss contingency claims settled number																												1	1
Loss contingency claims dismissed number																												1
Number of putative class actions dismissed																																			2
Number of putative class actions with class certification denied																																		1
Period for additional Filter Product Claims trials																																					12 months
Number of claims in settlement agreement																																						30
Non-cash charge write off related to insurance receivable																	25.0
Non-cash charge write off related to insurance receivable after tax																	24.5
Number of insurance carriers																	1									1
Insurance coverage no longer disputed																										50
Legal settlement costs, gross																																	51.0
Legal settlement costs, net of tax																																	40.8
U. S. District Court award for damages					109	371	185	19	20
Court-assessed royalty rate										12.50%	20.00%
Escrow deposit representing an estimation of liability				542
Product Claims, charges incurred before taxes	293.0
Product Claims, charges incurred after tax	276.0
Accruals for product liability and other legal matters		520.3	158.1
Payments to qualified settlement fund															19.5	177.1
Payments to qualified claimants from qualified settlement funds															25.6	158.2
Other payments to qualified claimants from qualified settlement funds															15.6	26.2
Receivables related to product liability matters												$ 186.2	$ 45.6