Subsequent Event	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Event	17. Subsequent Event On May 8, 2013, we announced that our Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program in an amount up to $50 million. Repurchases are expected to consist primarily of open market transactions at prevailing market prices in accordance with the guidelines specified under Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, though we may also make repurchases through block trades or privately negotiated transactions. We expect that repurchases will begin on or about May 10, 2013. Repurchases are expected to be made from cash on hand, cash generated from operations, and additional borrowings. The timing of the transactions and the aggregate number of shares of common stock that will be repurchased under the repurchase program will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions and the prices at which the securities are repurchased. We may discontinue repurchases without prior notice at any time if we determine additional repurchases are not warranted. Litigation Matter Updates: Matters Related to the Company’s Former Breg Subsidiary and Possible Indemnification Obligations On May 24, 2012, the Company sold Breg, Inc. (“Breg”) to an affiliate of Water Street Healthcare Partners II, L.P. (“Water Street”) pursuant to a stock purchase agreement (the “Breg SPA”). Under the terms of the Breg SPA, upon closing of the sale, the Company and its subsidiary, Orthofix Holdings, Inc., agreed to indemnify Water Street and Breg with respect to certain specified matters, including (i) the government investigation and product liability matters regarding the previously owned infusion pump product line described below, and (ii) pre-closing sales of cold therapy units and certain post-closing sales of cold therapy units. The Company has established an accrual of $4.2 million for its indemnification obligations in connection with the July 2012 verdict described in the paragraph below, however, actual liability in this case could be higher or lower than the amount accrued. The Company has not established any accrual in connection with its other indemnification obligations under the Breg SPA, and currently cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss, or range of loss, in connection with such obligations (including with respect to the matters described in the paragraphs below). Breg was engaged in the manufacturing and sale of local infusion pumps for pain management from 1999 to 2008. Since 2008, numerous product liability cases have been filed in the United States alleging that the local anesthetic, when dispensed by such infusion pumps inside a joint, causes a rare arthritic condition called “chondrolysis.” The Company believes that meritorious defenses exist to these claims and Breg is vigorously defending these cases. One of the Company’s insurance carriers previously asserted to the Company that certain potential losses related to this matter are not covered by its insurance coverage. The Company subsequently went into arbitration with this carrier, and on January 22, 2013, the Company obtained a binding arbitration award providing that such carrier is obligated to reimburse the Company for defense expenses, settlements, and judgments under certain policies. The Company currently estimates that it is entitled to reimbursement of approximately $13 million for past losses incurred, as well as up to $15 million in potential future coverage for pending products liability matters. On or about August 2, 2010, Breg received a HIPAA subpoena issued by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”). The subpoena seeks documents from the Company and its subsidiaries for the period of January 1, 2000 through the date of the subpoena. The Company believes that document production in response to the subpoena is completed as of July 2012. DOJ has informed the Company that it is investigating possible criminal and civil violations of federal law related to Breg’s sale, marketing and labeling of local infusion pumps for pain management, prior to Breg’s divestiture of this product line in 2008. The Company is currently cooperating with the U.S. Government in connection with this matter. On January 27, 2012, the Company was orally notified by a U.S. Government official that a civil investigation of Breg was pending in connection with this matter. On January 18, 2013, the Company was served with a qui tam complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri against the Company (as the former owner of Breg), Stryker Corporation, I-Flow Corporation and DJO Incorporated, which contains allegations relating to the marketing and promotion of Breg’s former infusion pump products. The Company is vigorously defending this matter. At the time of its divestiture by the Company, Breg was engaged and had been engaged in the manufacturing and sales of motorized cold therapy units used to reduce pain and swelling. Several domestic product liability cases have been filed in recent years, mostly in California state court, alleging that the use of cold therapy causes skin and/or nerve injury and seeking damages on behalf of individual plaintiffs who were allegedly injured by such units. The majority of these cases are at an early stage and no conclusion can be drawn at the present time regarding their potential outcome. However, the Company believes that meritorious defenses exist to these claims. In July 2012, a jury in one case related to a motorized cold therapy unit previously sold by Breg returned a verdict providing for approximately $2.1 million in compensatory damages to the plaintiff against Breg and $7 million in exemplary damages. The case remains subject to appeal. The Company believes that the damages are without merit; however, the ultimate outcome is uncertain. The Company previously established an accrual of $4.2 million for both compensatory damages and exemplary damages for its indemnification obligations in connection with this July 2012 verdict; however, actual liability in this case could be higher or lower than the amount accrued.

17. Subsequent Event

On May 8, 2013, we announced that our Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program in an amount up to $50 million. Repurchases are expected to consist primarily of open market transactions at prevailing market prices in accordance with the guidelines specified under Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, though we may also make repurchases through block trades or privately negotiated transactions. We expect that repurchases will begin on or about May 10, 2013. Repurchases are expected to be made from cash on hand, cash generated from operations, and additional borrowings. The timing of the transactions and the aggregate number of shares of common stock that will be repurchased under the repurchase program will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions and the prices at which the securities are repurchased. We may discontinue repurchases without prior notice at any time if we determine additional repurchases are not warranted.

Litigation Matter Updates:

Matters Related to the Company’s Former Breg Subsidiary and Possible Indemnification Obligations

On May 24, 2012, the Company sold Breg, Inc. (“Breg”) to an affiliate of Water Street Healthcare Partners II, L.P. (“Water Street”) pursuant to a stock purchase agreement (the “Breg SPA”). Under the terms of the Breg SPA, upon closing of the sale, the Company and its subsidiary, Orthofix Holdings, Inc., agreed to indemnify Water Street and Breg with respect to certain specified matters, including (i) the government investigation and product liability matters regarding the previously owned infusion pump product line described below, and (ii) pre-closing sales of cold therapy units and certain post-closing sales of cold therapy units. The Company has established an accrual of $4.2 million for its indemnification obligations in connection with the July 2012 verdict described in the paragraph below, however, actual liability in this case could be higher or lower than the amount accrued. The Company has not established any accrual in connection with its other indemnification obligations under the Breg SPA, and currently cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss, or range of loss, in connection with such obligations (including with respect to the matters described in the paragraphs below).

Breg was engaged in the manufacturing and sale of local infusion pumps for pain management from 1999 to 2008. Since 2008, numerous product liability cases have been filed in the United States alleging that the local anesthetic, when dispensed by such infusion pumps inside a joint, causes a rare arthritic condition called “chondrolysis.” The Company believes that meritorious defenses exist to these claims and Breg is vigorously defending these cases. One of the Company’s insurance carriers previously asserted to the Company that certain potential losses related to this matter are not covered by its insurance coverage. The Company subsequently went into arbitration with this carrier, and on January 22, 2013, the Company obtained a binding arbitration award providing that such carrier is obligated to reimburse the Company for defense expenses, settlements, and judgments under certain policies. The Company currently estimates that it is entitled to reimbursement of approximately $13 million for past losses incurred, as well as up to $15 million in potential future coverage for pending products liability matters.

On or about August 2, 2010, Breg received a HIPAA subpoena issued by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”). The subpoena seeks documents from the Company and its subsidiaries for the period of January 1, 2000 through the date of the subpoena. The Company believes that document production in response to the subpoena is completed as of July 2012. DOJ has informed the Company that it is investigating possible criminal and civil violations of federal law related to Breg’s sale, marketing and labeling of local infusion pumps for pain management, prior to Breg’s divestiture of this product line in 2008. The Company is currently cooperating with the U.S. Government in connection with this matter.

On January 27, 2012, the Company was orally notified by a U.S. Government official that a civil investigation of Breg was pending in connection with this matter. On January 18, 2013, the Company was served with a qui tam complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri against the Company (as the former owner of Breg), Stryker Corporation, I-Flow Corporation and DJO Incorporated, which contains allegations relating to the marketing and promotion of Breg’s former infusion pump products. The Company is vigorously defending this matter.

At the time of its divestiture by the Company, Breg was engaged and had been engaged in the manufacturing and sales of motorized cold therapy units used to reduce pain and swelling. Several domestic product liability cases have been filed in recent years, mostly in California state court, alleging that the use of cold therapy causes skin and/or nerve injury and seeking damages on behalf of individual plaintiffs who were allegedly injured by such units. The majority of these cases are at an early stage and no conclusion can be drawn at the present time regarding their potential outcome. However, the Company believes that meritorious defenses exist to these claims. In July 2012, a jury in one case related to a motorized cold therapy unit previously sold by Breg returned a verdict providing for approximately $2.1 million in compensatory damages to the plaintiff against Breg and $7 million in exemplary damages. The case remains subject to appeal. The Company believes that the damages are without merit; however, the ultimate outcome is uncertain. The Company previously established an accrual of $4.2 million for both compensatory damages and exemplary damages for its indemnification obligations in connection with this July 2012 verdict; however, actual liability in this case could be higher or lower than the amount accrued.