| **Special Charges (Tables)**                                        | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
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| 2016 Initiatives [Member]                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| **Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]**                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 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, 2016$29 $— $— $— $29                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Manufacturing and Supply Optimization Plan [Member]                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| **Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]**                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 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 December 28, 2013$— $— $— $— $—Cost of sales special charges7 — — — 7Special charges12 — 5 8 25Non-cash charges used— — (5) — (5)Cash payments(5) — — (2) (7)Balance at January 3, 201514 — — 6 20Cost of sales special charges4 3 15 7 29Special charges20 — — 29 49Non-cash charges used— (3) (15) — (18)Cash payments(27) — — (35) (62)Foreign exchange rate impact— — — (1) (1)Balance at January 2, 2016$11 $— $— $6 $17                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 2012 Business Realignment Restructuring Plan [Member]               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| **Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]**                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| Summary of Activity Related to Special Charge Restructuring Accrual | A summary of the activity related to the 2012 Business Realignment Plan accrual during fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013 is as follows (in millions): EmployeeTerminationCosts InventoryCharges FixedAssetCharges Other Restructuring Costs TotalBalance at December 29, 2012$58 $— $— $8 $66Cost of sales special charges— 30 — 5 35Special charges75 — 13 97 185Non-cash charges used— (30) (13) (4) (47)Cash payments(79) — — (73) (152)Balance at December 28, 201354 — — 33 87Cost of sales special charges8 8 13 1 30Special charges36 — 7 35 78Non-cash charges used— (8) (20) — (28)Cash payments(69) — — (56) (125)Foreign exchange rate impact(3) — — (1) (4)Balance at January 3, 201526 — — 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, 2016$3 $— $— $7 $10 |
| 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| **Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]**                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| Summary of Activity Related to Special Charge Restructuring Accrual | A summary of the activity related to the 2011 Restructuring Plan accrual during fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013 is as follows (in millions): EmployeeTerminationCosts InventoryCharges FixedAssetCharges Other Restructuring Costs TotalBalance at December 29, 2012$25 $— $— $17 $42Special charges5 — 1 18 24Non-cash charges used— — (1) — (1)Cash payments(21) — — (29) (50)Balance at December 28, 20139 — — 6 15Cash payments(9) — — (4) (13)Balance at January 3, 2015— — — 2 2Special charges— — — (1) (1)Cash payments— — — (1) (1)Balance at January 2, 2016$— $— $— $— $—                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
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| - 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.
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| - 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
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis=stj_ManufandSupplyOptimizationPlanMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
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