Entity wide accounts receivable by country percentage.

No definition available.

Name:	tfx_EntityWideAccountsReceivableByCountryPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	tfx_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer), for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, reduced to the estimated net realizable fair value by an allowance established by the entity of the amount it deems uncertain of collection.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of any significant sales of financing receivables during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=SL6953423-111524

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the sale of receivables arising from the financing of goods and services.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=tfx_SpainItalyPortugalAndGreeceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_IT
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Financial instruments - aggregate accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Accounts receivable, net		$ 271,993	$ 262,416
Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Greece
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Accounts receivable, net		$ 51,098	$ 62,272
Percentage of total net current and long-term trade accounts receivables		19.30%	23.90%
Subsequent Event \| Italy
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Receivables sold	$ 16,100
Proceeds from sale of receivables	$ 16,000