| **Quarterly Financial Data (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**   | 3 Months Ended |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|
||
| After Tax Special Charges Associated With Restructuring and Realignment Activities      | $ 97           | $ 13 | $ 34 | $ 32 | $ 75 | $ 66 | $ 27 | $ 29 |
| Tax Adjustments, Settlements, and Unusual Provisions                                    | 15             | (15) |   | (21) | 46 |   |   |   |
| After Tax Make-whole Redemption Charge                                                  |           |   | 101 |   |   |   |   |   |
| After Tax Special Charges For Intangible Asset Impairment Charges                       | 19             |   | 8 |   | 11 | 15 |   |   |
| Acquisition related costs, net of tax                                                   | 15             | 2 | 3 |   |   |   |   |   |
| Licensing Agreements [Member]                                                           |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| After-tax loss contingency expense                                                      |           |   | 14 |   |   |   |   | 25 |
| Field Action Cost IESD [Member]                                                         |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| After-tax loss contingency expense                                                      | 25             |   |   |   | 27 |   |   |   |
| Cardiomems [Member]                                                                     |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Loss |           |   |   | $ 29 |   |   |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents acquisition-related costs, net of tax, incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**stj_Acquisitionrelatedcostsnetoftax**Namespace Prefix:**stj_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The after-tax amount of loss pertaining to the specified contingency that was charged against earnings in the period, including the effects of revisions in previously reported estimates.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**stj_AfterTaxLossContingencyExpense**Namespace Prefix:**stj_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
After-Tax impact of Make-whole Redemption Charge
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**stj_AfterTaxMakewholeRedemptionCharge**Namespace Prefix:**stj_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
After Tax Special Charges Associated With Restructuring Actions To Realign Activities
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**stj_AfterTaxSpecialChargesAssociatedWithRestructuringActionsToRealignActivities**Namespace Prefix:**stj_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
After tax special charges for intangible asset impairment charges.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**stj_AfterTaxSpecialChargesForIntangibleAssetImpairmentCharges**Namespace Prefix:**stj_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
In a business combination achieved in stages, this element represents the amount of loss recognized by the entity as a result of remeasuring to fair value the equity interest in the acquiree it held before the business combination.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementLoss**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of increase (decrease) to previously recorded tax expense. Includes, but is not limited to, significant settlements of income tax disputes, and unusual tax positions or infrequent actions taken by the entity, including tax assessment reversal, and IRS tax settlement.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28446-109314Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28511-109314
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |