|**Income Taxes (Tables)**                                            | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
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|**Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]**                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Schedule of Income before Income Tax, Domestic and Foreign           | The Company's earnings before income taxes as generated from its U.S. and international operations are as follows (in millions):201520142013U.S.$(107)$157$(17)International1,035911801Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interest$928$1,068$784                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
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|                                                                     | 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|U.S.                                                                 | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|International                                                        | 1,035                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interest             | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)               | Income tax expense consisted of the following (in millions):201520142013Current:U.S. federal$64$151$104U.S. state and other2117International5639108Total current122201219Deferred(60)(88)(127)Income tax expense$62$113$92                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
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|                                                                     | 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Current:                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|U.S. federal                                                         | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|U.S. state and other                                                 | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|International                                                        | 56                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Total current                                                        | 122                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Deferred                                                             | (60                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Income tax expense                                                   | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities                      | The components of deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows (in millions):20152014Deferred income tax assets:Net operating loss carryforwards$350$415Tax credit carryforwards144119Inventories3430Stock-based compensation5646Compensation and benefits143131R&D expenditures, capitalized for tax8092Accrued liabilities and other124129931962Less: valuation allowance(337)(400)Deferred income tax assets, net594562Deferred income tax liabilities:Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities(1)(9)Unrealized gain on derivative financial instruments(4)—Property, plant and equipment(166)(171)Intangible assets(853)(322)Deferred income tax liabilities(1,024)(502)Net deferred income tax assets (liabilities)$(430)$60
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|                                                                     | 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Deferred income tax assets:                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Net operating loss carryforwards                                     | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Tax credit carryforwards                                             | 144                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Inventories                                                          | 34                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Stock-based compensation                                             | 56                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Compensation and benefits                                            | 143                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|R&D expenditures, capitalized for tax                                | 80                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Accrued liabilities and other                                        | 124                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                     | 931                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Less: valuation allowance                                            | (337                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Deferred income tax assets, net                                      | 594                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Deferred income tax liabilities:                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities                     | (1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Unrealized gain on derivative financial instruments                  | (4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Property, plant and equipment                                        | (166                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Intangible assets                                                    | (853                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Deferred income tax liabilities                                      | (1,024                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|Net deferred income tax assets (liabilities)                         | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation                 | A reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to the Company's effective income tax rate is as follows:201520142013U.S. federal statutory tax rate35.0%35.0%35.0%Increase (decrease) in tax rate resulting from:U.S. state income taxes, net of federal tax benefit(0.1)0.20.6International taxes at lower rates(22.6)(19.6)(13.6)Tax benefits from domestic manufacturer's deduction(1.0)(1.2)(1.9)Research and development credits(2.7)(2.8)(4.6)Puerto Rico excise tax(2.4)(1.7)(3.0)Reversal of excess tax accruals(2.8)—(1.9)Noncontrolling interest0.51.83.6Restructuring and acquisition-related items3.0(0.3)—Other(0.2)(0.8)(2.5)Effective income tax rate6.7%10.6%11.7%                                             
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|                                                                     | 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|U.S. federal statutory tax rate                                      | 35.0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Increase (decrease) in tax rate resulting from:                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|U.S. state income taxes, net of federal tax benefit                  | (0.1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|International taxes at lower rates                                   | (22.6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Tax benefits from domestic manufacturer's deduction                  | (1.0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Research and development credits                                     | (2.7                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Puerto Rico excise tax                                               | (2.4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Reversal of excess tax accruals                                      | (2.8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Noncontrolling interest                                              | 0.5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Restructuring and acquisition-related items                          | 3.0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Other                                                                | (0.2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Effective income tax rate                                            | 6.7                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits                                | The following table summarizes the activity related to the Company's uncertain tax positions (in millions):201520142013Balance at beginning of year$328$315$314Increases related to current year tax positions486774Increases related to prior year tax positions—633Increases related to positions assumed from Thoratec7——Reductions related to prior year tax positions(24)(27)(16)Reductions related to settlements / payments(16)(27)(90)Expiration of the statute of limitations for the assessment of taxes(5)(6)—Balance at end of year$338$328$315                                                                                                                                                                                    
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|                                                                     | 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Balance at beginning of year                                         | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Increases related to current year tax positions                      | 48                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Increases related to prior year tax positions                        | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Increases related to positions assumed from Thoratec                 | 7                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Reductions related to prior year tax positions                       | (24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Reductions related to settlements / payments                         | (16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Expiration of the statute of limitations for the assessment of taxes | (5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Balance at end of year                                               | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Schedule of ASU Updates and Tax Impacts                              | As discussed in Note 1, the Company adopted ASU No. 2015-17 in light of the process simplification provided by the ASU. As a result, the January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015 balances of deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities previously reported were impacted as follows (in millions):January 2, 2016January 3, 2015PreviouslyAsPreviouslyAsReportedImpactAdoptedReportedImpactAdoptedDeferred income taxes (current assets)$264$(264)$—$291$(291)$—Other current assets18881269168104272Deferred income taxes (noncurrent assets)1321915111315128Other current liabilities(517)7(510)(493)—(493)Deferred income taxes (noncurrent liabilities)(738)157(581)(240)172(68)                                                        
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|Deferred income taxes (current assets)                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Other current assets                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Deferred income taxes (noncurrent assets)                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Other current liabilities                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Deferred income taxes (noncurrent liabilities)                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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