| **Basis Of Presentation**                                                           | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   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| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  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| Basis Of Presentation                                                               | BASIS OF PRESENTATIONPrinciples of Consolidation: The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of St. Jude Medical, Inc. (St. Jude Medical or the Company) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. generally accepted accounting principles) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, these statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s consolidated results of operations, financial position and cash flows. Operating results for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. Preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and footnotes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2013 (2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K).The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiaries and entities for which St. Jude Medical has a controlling financial interest. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. For variable interest entities (VIEs), the Company assesses the terms of its interest in the entity to determine if St. Jude Medical is the primary beneficiary. Variable interests are ownership, contractual or other interests in an entity that change with increases or decreases in the fair value of the VIE's net assets exclusive of variable interests. The entity that consolidates the VIE is considered the primary beneficiary, and is defined as the party with (1) the power to direct activities of the VIE that most significantly affect the VIE's economic performance and (2) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE. In the first quarter of 2013, the Company determined that CardioMEMS, Inc. (CardioMEMS) was a VIE for which the Company is the primary beneficiary and began consolidating their results effective February 27, 2013. In the second quarter of 2014, the Company exercised its exclusive option to obtain the remaining 81% ownership interest (see Note 2). During the second quarter of 2013, the Company entered into a $40 million equity investment, contingent acquisition agreement and exclusive distribution agreement with Spinal Modulation, Inc. (Spinal Modulation) and determined it also was a VIE for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company began consolidating Spinal Modulation's results effective June 7, 2013 (see Note 2). On January 28, 2014, the Company announced organizational changes to combine its Implantable Electronic Systems Division (IESD) and Cardiovascular and Ablation Technologies Division (CATD) operating divisions, resulting in an integrated research and development organization and a consolidation of manufacturing and supply chain operations worldwide. The integration will be conducted in a phased approach throughout 2014. The Company's continuing global restructuring efforts are focused on streamlining its organization to improve productivity, reduce costs and leverage its scale to drive additional growth. The Company will continue to report under the existing reportable segment structure for internal management financial forecasting and reporting purposes into fiscal year 2014 until the organizational changes and the related financial reporting structure are finalized. The financial reporting structure has not changed as of and for the period ended June 28, 2014 and continues to be consistent with the 2013 comparable periods. See Note 14 for further information on the Company's segments. New Accounting Pronouncements: In July 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2013-11 (ASU 2013-11), Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists. ASU 2013-11 requires an entity to present an unrecognized tax benefit, or portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, as a reduction to a deferred tax asset in the financial statements for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists with certain exceptions. The Company was required to prospectively adopt ASU 2013-11 in the first reporting period beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company's adoption of ASU 2013-11 during the first quarter of 2014 resulted in a $14 million reclassification from other liabilities to deferred income taxes, net (noncurrent assets) on its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance will supersede the current revenue recognition requirements. The amendments in ASU 2014-09 are effective for annual reporting period beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. We are evaluating our approach to the adoption and the potential impact to our results of operations and financial position. The Company will adopt the new guidance beginning in fiscal year 2017. |

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The entire disclosure for organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure.
+ References
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