Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability, Period

No definition available.

Name:	ew_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationLiabilityPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the escrow fund established for indemnification obligations resulting from representations and warranties made in the stock purchase agreement, with unreleased funds to be distributed after a specified period after the acquisition date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ew_BusinessCombinationEscrowFund
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the time period, subsequent to the acquisition date, that unreleased funds from an escrow fund established for indemnification obligations resulting from representations and warranties made in a stock purchase agreement are to be distributed, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ew_BusinessCombinationEscrowFundReleasedPeriodAfterAcquisition
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Business Combination, Indefinite Lived Intangible Asset Acquired, Measurement Input

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ew_BusinessCombinationIndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetAcquiredMeasurementInput
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Business Combination, In-process Research and Development, Expected Costs

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ew_BusinessCombinationInprocessResearchandDevelopmentExpectedCosts
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84229725&loc=d3e1043-128460

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionRelatedCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of consideration transferred, consisting of acquisition-date fair value of assets transferred by the acquirer, liabilities incurred by the acquirer, and equity interest issued by the acquirer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109124213&loc=d3e6613-128477

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109124213&loc=d3e6578-128477

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For contingent consideration arrangements recognized in connection with a business combination, this element represents an estimate of the high-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueHigh
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount, measured at acquisition-date fair value, of all liabilities assumed that arise from contingencies and were recognized by the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84161108&loc=d3e4845-128472

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationLiabilitiesArisingFromContingenciesAmountRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

In a business combination achieved in stages, this element represents the amount of gain recognized by the entity as a result of remeasuring to fair value the equity interest in the acquiree it held before the business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (g)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value portion of investments accounted under the cost method.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The equity interest of noncontrolling shareholders, partners or other equity holders in consolidated entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the purchase of noncontrolling interest during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a business segment or subsidiary or sale of an entity that is related to it but not strictly controlled during the period (for example, an unconsolidated subsidiary, affiliate, joint venture or equity method investment).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesAndInterestsInAffiliates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=ew_HarpoonMedicalInc.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MeasurementInputTypeAxis=us-gaap_MeasurementInputDiscountRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_InProcessResearchAndDevelopmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_OwnershipAxis=ew_HarpoonMedicalInc.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

ACQUISITIONS - Harpoon Medical, Inc. (Details) - Harpoon Medical $ in Millions		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	24 Months Ended
	Dec. 01, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Purchase price subject to certain adjustments	$ 119.5
Cash previously paid for cost method investment				$ 16.0
Net proceeds from sale of previous ownership				$ 8.0
Carrying value at acquisition date	1.5
Remeasurement gain	6.5
Potential milestone-driven payments		$ 150.0	$ 150.0
Period to make additional pre-specified milestone-driven payments		10 years
Liability for estimated fair value of contingent milestone payment		$ 59.7	59.7
Portion of purchase price in escrow	$ 10.0
Escrow fund released period after acquisition	12 months
Acquisition-related costs			$ 0.4
Additional research and development expenditures to be incurred prior to product introduction	$ 41.4
Measurement Input, Discount Rate \| Minimum \| IPR&D
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount rate used to determine fair value	0.180
Measurement Input, Discount Rate \| Maximum \| IPR&D
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount rate used to determine fair value	0.190
Harpoon Medical
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership percentage	6.00%