| **Abbott Transaction (Details) - Subsequent Event** | Apr. 27, 2016 $ / shares |
|-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| **Subsequent Event [Line Items]**                   |                     |
| Business acquisition, share price                   | $ 46.75                  |
| Business acquisition, share ratio                   | 0.8708                   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Business Acquisition, Share Ratio
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**stj_BusinessAcquisitionShareRatio**Namespace Prefix:**stj_**Data Type:**xbrli:pureItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks paid or offered to be paid in a business combination.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionSharePrice**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:perShareItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_SubsequentEventLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |