| **Fair Value Measurements - Unobservable Input Reconciliation of Contingent Consideration Liability (Details) - Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 - Contingent Consideration Liabilities - USD ($) $ in Millions** | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|-----------------|
||
| **Contingent Consideration Liability [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                        |           |            |   |   |
| Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                            | $ 31           | $ 36            | $ 151 | $ 50 |
| Initial fair value measurement of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                   | 4              |            |   | 155 |
| Liabilities assumed from Thoratec acquisition                                                                                                                                                                |           |            |   | 33 |
| Change in fair value of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                             | 5              | (5)             | 9 | (87) |
| Transfer out of Level 3 fair value measurement due to contractual settlement                                                                                                                                 |           |            | (124) |   |
| Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                               | 40             | 31              | 36 | 151 |
| Nanostim                                                                                                                                                                                                     |           |            |   |   |
| **Contingent Consideration Liability [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                        |           |            |   |   |
| Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                            | 2              | 2               | 2 | 50 |
| Initial fair value measurement of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                   | 0              |            |   | 0 |
| Liabilities assumed from Thoratec acquisition                                                                                                                                                                |           |            |   | 0 |
| Change in fair value of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                             | 0              | 0               | 0 | (48) |
| Transfer out of Level 3 fair value measurement due to contractual settlement                                                                                                                                 |           |            | 0 |   |
| Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                               | 2              | 2               | 2 | 2 |
| Spinal Modulation                                                                                                                                                                                            |           |            |   |   |
| **Contingent Consideration Liability [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                        |           |            |   |   |
| Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                            | 2              | 6               | 122 | 0 |
| Initial fair value measurement of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                   | 0              |            |   | 155 |
| Liabilities assumed from Thoratec acquisition                                                                                                                                                                |           |            |   | 0 |
| Change in fair value of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                             | 5              | (4)             | 8 | (33) |
| Transfer out of Level 3 fair value measurement due to contractual settlement                                                                                                                                 |           |            | (124) |   |
| Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                               | 7              | 2               | 6 | 122 |
| Thoratec                                                                                                                                                                                                     |           |            |   |   |
| **Contingent Consideration Liability [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                        |           |            |   |   |
| Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                            | 27             | 28              | 27 | 0 |
| Initial fair value measurement of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                   | 0              |            |   | 0 |
| Liabilities assumed from Thoratec acquisition                                                                                                                                                                |           |            |   | 33 |
| Change in fair value of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                             | 0              | (1)             | 1 | (6) |
| Transfer out of Level 3 fair value measurement due to contractual settlement                                                                                                                                 |           |            | 0 |   |
| Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                               | 27             | 27              | 28 | 27 |
| U.S. Distributor                                                                                                                                                                                             |           |            |   |   |
| **Contingent Consideration Liability [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                        |           |            |   |   |
| Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                            | 0              | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Initial fair value measurement of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                   | 4              |            |   | 0 |
| Liabilities assumed from Thoratec acquisition                                                                                                                                                                |           |            |   | 0 |
| Change in fair value of contingent consideration                                                                                                                                                             | 0              | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Transfer out of Level 3 fair value measurement due to contractual settlement                                                                                                                                 |           |            | 0 |   |
| Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                               | $ 4            | $ 0             | $ 0 | $ 0 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Initial Fair Value Measurement
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of increase (decrease) in the value of a contingent consideration liability, including, but not limited to, differences arising upon settlement.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e7008-128479
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.
+ References
No definition available.
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of transfers of financial instrument classified as a liability out of level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Fair value of financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The fair value of liabilities assumed in noncash investing or financing activities.
+ References
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