| **Commitments And Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                                       |        |        | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |        |        |        |        |        |        | 3 Months Ended |        |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------|----------------|-----------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|----------------|--------|
||
| **Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]**                                                                                               |   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of lawsuits outstanding                                                                                                               |   |   |           |            | 29     | 10     | 19     |   |   |   |           | 3      |   | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 1 |   |   |   |
| Number of lawsuits outstanding, excluding class action lawsuits                                                                              |   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 1 |   |
| Number of multi-plaintiff lawsuits outstanding, excluding class action lawsuits                                                              |   |   |           |            | 5      |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of plaintiffs to exceed in one lawsuit to result in a multi-plaintiff case                                                            | 1      |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of claimants in lawsuit                                                                                                               |   |   |           |            |   |   |   | 21     | 2      | 3      | 29             |   | 2 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of claimants with filed lawsuits that are not seeking suit for alleged bodily injuries from surgical removal or replacment of product |   |   |           |            | 1      |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of outstanding class actions                                                                                                          |   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 1 |   |   |
| Number of common class issues in class action suit                                                                                           |   | 9      |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Minimum damage loss claimed                                                                                                                  |   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | $ 1 |   |
| Remaining insurance coverage for Silzone claims                                                                                              |   |   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | $ 13 |
| days of legal notice                                                                                                                         |   |   | 45             |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of Form 483 Observations                                                                                                              |   |   |           | 11              |   |   |   |   |   |   |           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of days required by the defendant to provide legal notice before engaging in activities/clinical trials related to patent under dispute.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of claimants in lawsuit
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of claimants with filed lawsuits that are not seeking suit for alleged bodily injuries from surgical removal or replacment of product
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of common class issues in class action suit
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of Form 483 Observations
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of lawsuits outstanding
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of lawsuits outstanding, excluding class action lawsuits
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of multi-plaintiff lawsuits outstanding, excluding class action lawsuits
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of outstanding class actions.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of plaintiffs to exceed in one lawsuit to result in a multi-plaintiff case.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**stj_Numberofplaintiffstoexceedinonelawsuittoresultinamultiplaintiffcase**Namespace Prefix:**stj_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Remaining insurance coverage for Silzone claims.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The value (monetary amount) of the award the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349
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