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This element represents the maximum total grant date fair value of stock-based awards that can be granted to nonemployee directors.

No definition available.

Name:	ew_ShareBasedGoodsAndNonemployeeServicesTransactionNonemployeeAwardValueMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period over which grantee's right to exercise award under share-based payment arrangement is no longer contingent on satisfaction of service or performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Includes, but is not limited to, combination of market, performance or service condition.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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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.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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The highest percentage of annual salary that an employee is permitted to utilize with respect to the plan.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumEmployeeSubscriptionRate
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Number of shares authorized for issuance under share-based payment arrangement.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
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Period Type:	instant

Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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Purchase price of common stock expressed as a percentage of its fair value.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=ew_EmployeeAndNonemployeeStockOptionsMember
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Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
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Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=ew_MarketBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=ew_RestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitAwardsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=ew_NonemployeeDirectorsStockIncentiveCompensationProgramMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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