|**Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)**                                                 | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|**Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]**                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Schedule of Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill                                                | The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the fiscal years endedJanuary 2, 2016andJanuary 3, 2015were as follows (in millions):Balance as of December 28, 2013$3,524NeuroTherm125Spinal Modulation(36)Foreign currency translation and other(81)Balance as of January 3, 20153,532Thoratec2,142Foreign currency translation and other(23)Balance as of January 2, 2016$5,651                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|                                                                                                 
|                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Balance as of December 28, 2013                                                                   | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|NeuroTherm                                                                                        | 125                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Spinal Modulation                                                                                 | (36                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Foreign currency translation and other                                                            | (81                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Balance as of January 3, 2015                                                                     | 3,532                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Thoratec                                                                                          | 2,142                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Foreign currency translation and other                                                            | (23                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Balance as of January 2, 2016                                                                     | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Schedule of Gross Carrying Amount of Other Intangible Assets and Related Accumulated Amortization | The following table provides the gross carrying amount of other intangible assets and related accumulated amortization (in millions):January 2, 2016January 3, 2015GrossCarryingAmountAccumulatedAmortizationGrossCarryingAmountAccumulatedAmortizationDefinite-lived intangible assets:Purchased technology and patents$1,840$578$1,162$473Trademarks and tradenames115162213Customer lists and relationships21161914Licenses, distribution agreements and other6272$1,982$612$1,210$502Indefinite-lived intangible assets:Acquired IPR&D$829$116Trademarks and tradenames2727$856$143
|                                                                                                 
|                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                  | January 2, 2016                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                  | GrossCarryingAmount                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Definite-lived intangible assets:                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Purchased technology and patents                                                                  | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Trademarks and tradenames                                                                         | 115                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Customer lists and relationships                                                                  | 21                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Licenses, distribution agreements and other                                                       | 6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|                                                                                                  | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Indefinite-lived intangible assets:                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Acquired IPR&D                                                                                    | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Trademarks and tradenames                                                                         | 27                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|                                                                                                  | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Schedule of Future Amortization Expense                                                           | The following table presents expected future amortization expense for acquired intangible assets recognized as of January 2, 2016 and expected amortization expense of indefinite-lived IPR&D assets based on anticipated regulatory product approvals (in millions):After201620172018201920202020Amortization expense$184$222$237$231$220$1,105                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|                                                                                                 
|                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                  | 2016                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Amortization expense                                                                              | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

X- ReferencesNo definition available.
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsDisclosureAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life, by either major class or business segment.
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16265-109275
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ScheduleOfFiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of goodwill by reportable segment and in total which includes a rollforward schedule.
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13854-109267
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ScheduleOfGoodwillTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of the amount of amortization expense expected to be recorded in succeeding fiscal years for finite-lived intangible assets.
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ScheduleofFiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsFutureAmortizationExpenseTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration