| **Commitments And Contingencies (Details) $ in Thousands** |        | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended |
|------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------|----------------|
||
| December 2012 Securities Litigation                        |   |           |           |
| **Loss Contingencies [Line Items]**                        |   |           |           |
| Number of cases consolidated | case                        |   | 2              |           |
| Litigation settlement amount | $                           |   |           | $ 39,250       |
| Insurance recoveries amount | $                            |   |           | $ 39,250       |
| Abbott Merger Lawsuits                                     |   |           |           |
| **Loss Contingencies [Line Items]**                        |   |           |           |
| Number of cases consolidated | case                        | 2      |           |           |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of cases consolidated
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**stj_Numberofcasesconsolidated**Namespace Prefix:**stj_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount recovered from insurance. These recoveries reduce costs and losses that are reported as a separate line item under operating expenses.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_InsuranceRecoveries**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of judgment or settlement awarded to (against) the entity in respect of litigation.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmount**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| 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_LossContingenciesLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                             |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=stj_December2012SecuritiesLitigationMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=stj_AbbottMergerLawsuitsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |