| **Special Charges (Tables)**                                        | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| 2016 Initiatives                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| **Restructuring Cost and Reserve**                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Summary Of Activity Related To Special Charge Restructuring Accrual | A summary of the activity related to the 2016 Initiatives accrual is as follows (in millions): EmployeeTerminationCosts InventoryCharges FixedAssetCharges Other Restructuring Costs TotalBalance at January 3, 2015$— $— $— $— $—Cost of sales special charges9 1 1 1 12Special charges22 — — — 22Non-cash charges used— (1) (1) — (2)Cash payments(2) — — (1) (3)Balance at January 2, 201629 — — — 29Cost of sales special charges— 2 1 1 4Special charges11 — 4 5 20Non-cash charges used— (2) (5) — (7)Cash payments(32) — — (5) (37)Balance at April 2, 20168 — — 1 9Cost of sales special charges— — — 2 2Special charges6 — — 4 10Cash payments(6) — — (4) (10)Balance at July 2, 20168 — — 3 11Cost of sales special charges— — — 2 2Special charges2 — 1 1 4Non-cash charges used— — (1) — (1)Cash payments(3) — — (3) (6)Balance at October 1, 2016$7 $— $— $3 $10 |
| Manufacturing and Supply Chain Optimization Plan                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| **Restructuring Cost and Reserve**                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Summary Of Activity Related To Special Charge Restructuring Accrual | A summary of the activity related to the Manufacturing and Supply Chain Optimization Plan accrual is as follows (in millions): EmployeeTerminationCosts InventoryCharges FixedAssetCharges Other Restructuring Costs TotalBalance at January 3, 2015$14 $— $— $6 $20Cost of sales special charges4 3 15 7 29Special charges20 — — 29 49Non-cash charges used— (3) (15) — (18)Cash payments(27) — — (35) (62)Balance at January 2, 201611 — — 6 17Cost of sales special charges— — — 1 1Cash payments(3) — — (6) (9)Balance at April 2, 20168 — — 1 9Cost of sales special charges— — — 1 1Special charges— — — 1 1Cash payments(3) — — (2) (5)Balance at July 2, 20165 — — 1 6Special charges— — — 1 1Cash payments(2) — — (1) (3)Balance at October 1, 2016$3 $— $— $1 $4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 2012 Business Realignment Restructuring Plan                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| **Restructuring Cost and Reserve**                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Summary Of Activity Related To Special Charge Restructuring Accrual | A summary of the activity related to the 2012 Business Realignment Plan accrual is as follows (in millions): EmployeeTerminationCosts InventoryCharges FixedAssetCharges Other Restructuring Costs TotalBalance at January 3, 2015$26 $— $— $12 $38Cost of sales special charges2 3 — — 5Special charges2 — 2 5 9Non-cash charges used— (3) (2) — (5)Cash payments(25) — — (10) (35)Foreign exchange rate impact(2) — — — (2)Balance at January 2, 20163 — — 7 10Cost of sales special charges— (1) — (1) (2)Non-cash charges used— 1 — — 1Balance at April 2, 20163 — —6 9Cash payments(1) — — — (1)Balance at July 2, 20162 — — 6 8Cost of sales special charges— (2) — — (2)Special charges(1) — — — (1)Non-cash charges used— 2 — — 2Cash payments(1) — — — (1)Balance at October 1, 2016$— $— $— $6 $6                                                                                                                                                |

| 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.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of an entity's restructuring reserve that occurred during the period associated with the exit from or disposal of business activities or restructurings for each major type of cost. This element may also include a description of any reversal and other adjustment made during the period to the amount of an accrued liability for restructuring activities. This element may be used to encapsulate the roll forward presentations of an entity's restructuring reserve by type of cost and in total, and explanation of changes that occurred in the period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 420 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394359&loc=d3e17939-110869Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 420 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.4(b)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27011515&loc=d3e140904-122747
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleOfRestructuringReserveByTypeOfCostTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis=stj_A2016InitiativesMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis=stj_ManufandSupplyOptimizationPlanMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                         |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis=stj_A2012BusinessRealignmentRestructuringPlanMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |