| **Fair Value Measurements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions**                                                         | 3 Months Ended |        |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|--------|
||
| **Fair Value Inputs, Liabilities, Quantitative Information**                                                          |           |   |   |
| Cost method investments                                                                                               | $ 59           |   | $ 80 |
| Fixed rate debt obligations fair value disclosure                                                                     | 3,402          |   |   |
| Fixed rate debt obligations carrying value                                                                            | 3,253          |   |   |
| Other debt carrying value                                                                                             | 2,805          |   |   |
| Cash equivalents at carrying value excluding money market securities                                                  | 270            |   | $ 393 |
| Other (income) expense                                                                                                |           |   |   |
| **Fair Value Inputs, Liabilities, Quantitative Information**                                                          |           |   |   |
| Other-than-temporary impairments                                                                                      | 50             |   |   |
| Fixed Asset Charges | 2016 Initiatives                                                                                |           |   |   |
| **Fair Value Inputs, Liabilities, Quantitative Information**                                                          |           |   |   |
| Fixed asset charges                                                                                                   | 5              |   |   |
| Fixed Asset Charges | 2012 Business Realignment Restructuring Plan                                                    |           |   |   |
| **Fair Value Inputs, Liabilities, Quantitative Information**                                                          |           |   |   |
| Fixed asset charges                                                                                                   |           | $ 1    |   |
| Spinal Modulation | Axium Neurostimulator System | Contingent Consideration Liabilities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 |           |   |   |
| **Fair Value Inputs, Liabilities, Quantitative Information**                                                          |           |   |   |
| Payment to settle the contingent consideration liability                                                              | $ 124          |   |   |

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| - Definition
Cash equivalents, excluding items classified as marketable securities or money market securities, include short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months. Compensating balance arrangements that do not legally restrict the withdrawal or usage of cash equivalents may be reported as cash equivalents, while legally restricted equivalents held as compensating balances against borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or company statements of intention with regard to particular equivalents should not be reported as part of unrestricted cash equivalents.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Fixed rate debt obligations carrying value.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Fixed rate debt obligations fair value disclosure.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Carrying value of other debt obligations (excluding fixed-rate senior notes).
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Payment of contingent consideration
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This item represents an other than temporary decline in value that has been recognized against an investment accounted for under the cost method of accounting. The excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the investment represents the amount of the write down which is or was reflected in earnings. The written down value is a new cost basis with the adjusted value of the investment becoming its new carrying value. Evidence of a loss in value might include, but would not necessarily be limited to, absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment or inability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity which would justify the carrying amount of the investment.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 325 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6872867&loc=d3e40691-111596
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This item represents a financial instrument (as defined) for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value. Such disclosure may be for an individual financial instrument or a class of financial instruments.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 325 -SubTopic 20 -Section 25 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29638263&loc=d3e39828-111592
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The charge against earnings resulting from the write down of long lived assets other than goodwill due to the difference between the carrying value and lower fair value.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51719941&loc=d3e2921-110230Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585
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| X                                                                                                                                                               |
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| X                                                                                                                                                |
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| X                                                                                                                                                                         |
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| X                                                                                                                                                  |
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| X                                                                                                                                                         |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| X                                                                                                                                                                        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| X                                                                                                                                                                          |
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