EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS - Schedule of Weighted-Average Assumptions Used to Determine Benefit Obligations (Details) - Defined benefit pension plans	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligations
Discount rate	0.30%	0.50%
Rate of compensation increase	2.60%	2.70%
Cash balance interest crediting rate	2.50%	2.60%
Social securities increase	1.60%	1.60%
Pension increase	1.80%	1.80%
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine the net periodic benefit cost
Discount rate	0.50%	0.90%	0.90%
Expected return on plan assets	1.50%	2.30%	2.30%
Rate of compensation increase	2.70%	2.80%	2.60%
Cash balance interest crediting rate	1.50%	1.50%	1.50%
Social securities increase	1.60%	1.80%	1.50%
Pension increase	1.80%	1.80%	1.80%

This element represents the percentage of increase in pension.

No definition available.

Name:	ew_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationPensionIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the percentage of increase in social security.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ew_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationSocialSecuritiesIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the percentage of increase in pension.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ew_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostPensionIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the percentage of increase in social security.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ew_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostSocialSecuritiesIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	ew_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average rate for present value of future retirement benefits cash flows, used to determine benefit obligation of defined benefit plan.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Weighted average rate increase of compensation, used to determine benefit obligation of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, pay-related defined benefit plan.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Weighted-average interest crediting rate used to determine benefit obligation of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, cash balance and other defined benefit plans with promised interest crediting rate.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Weighted average rate for present value of future retirement benefits cash flows, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average rate of return on plan assets, reflecting average rate of earnings expected on existing plan assets and expected contributions, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (k)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e2919-114920

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average rate of compensation increase used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, pay-related defined benefit plan.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted-average interest crediting rate used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, cash balance and other defined benefit plans with promised interest crediting rate.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: