| **Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)**             | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
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| **Accounting Policies [Abstract]**                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| Summary Of Components Of Available-For-Sale Securities              | The following table summarizes the components of the balance of the Company's available-for-sale securities as of January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015 (in millions):  January 2, 2016 January 3, 2015Adjusted cost$5 $6Gross unrealized gains6 24Gross unrealized losses(1) —Fair value$10 $30                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| Schedule Of Inventories                                             | Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market with cost determined using the first-in, first-out method. Inventories consisted of the following (in millions):  January 2, 2016 January 3, 2015Finished goods$609 $543Work in process102 77Raw materials198 164    Inventories$909 $784                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Schedule of Product Warranty Liability                              | Changes in the Company's product warranty liability during fiscal years 2015 and 2014 were as follows (in millions):  2015 2014Balance at beginning of period$35 $37Assumed from Thoratec Corporation (Thoratec)7 —Warranty (benefit) expense recognized(4) 3Warranty credits issued(7) (5)Balance at end of period$31 $35                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Schedule Of Computation Of Basic And Diluted Net Earnings Per Share | The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net earnings per share as well as the anti-dilutive shares of common stock excluded from diluted net earnings per share for fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013 (in millions, except share and per share amounts): 2015 2014 2013Numerator:     Net earnings attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc.$880 $1,002 $723Denominator:     Basic weighted average shares outstanding282.2 285.0 287.0  Dilution associated with stock-based compensation plans4.1 4.7 3.6Diluted weighted average shares outstanding286.3 289.7 290.6Basic net earnings per share attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc.$3.11 $3.52 $2.52Diluted net earnings per share attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc.$3.07 $3.46 $2.49Anti-dilutive shares of common stock excluded from diluted net earnings per share attributable to St. Jude Medical, Inc.3.8 3.3 4.8 |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the reconciliation of available-for-sale securities from cost basis to fair value.
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of an entity's basic and diluted earnings per share calculations, including a reconciliation of numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted per-share computations for income from continuing operations.
+ References
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of merchandise, goods, commodities, or supplies held for future sale or to be used in manufacturing, servicing or production process.
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the changes in the guarantor's aggregate product warranty liability, including the beginning balance of the aggregate product warranty liability, the aggregate reductions in that liability for payments made (in cash or in kind) under the warranty, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to product warranties issued during the reporting period, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to preexisting warranties (including adjustments related to changes in estimates), and the ending balance of the aggregate product warranty liability.
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