Acquisition of Senhance Surgical Robotic System - Additional Information (Detail)				3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2016 EUR (€) shares	Sep. 21, 2016	Sep. 21, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2016 EUR (€)	Sep. 21, 2015 EUR (€)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Securities consideration held in escrow percentage			10.00%
Escrow and security interest period			24 months
Intellectual property, net				$ 46,898,000		$ 37,090,000		$ 46,898,000
Legal, consulting and other costs related to acquisition				$ 228,000	$ 4,003,000	$ 0		4,231,000
Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amortization period						7 years	7 years
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Common shares issued | shares			15,543,413
Cash consideration			$ 25,000,000
Percentage of securities consideration released from lock out restrictions		50.00%
Percentage of securities consideration		50.00%
Acquisition agreement, description						The Lock-up Agreement provides that an additional twenty-five percent of the Securities Consideration remains locked-up until the eighteen-month anniversary of the Closing Date, and the remaining twenty-five percent of the Securities Consideration remains locked-up until the two-year anniversary of the Closing Date.	The Lock-up Agreement provides that an additional twenty-five percent of the Securities Consideration remains locked-up until the eighteen-month anniversary of the Closing Date, and the remaining twenty-five percent of the Securities Consideration remains locked-up until the two-year anniversary of the Closing Date.
Intellectual property, net			$ 48,500,000
Amortization period			7 years
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Ending on Eighteen Month Anniversary [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of securities consideration		25.00%
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Ending on Two Year Anniversary [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of securities consideration		25.00%
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | First Tranche [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration			$ 25,000,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Second Tranche [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Common shares issued | shares	3,722,685
Cash consideration payable | €										€ 10,000,000
Aggregate fair market value | €	€ 5,000,000
Aggregate fair market value payment | €										€ 5,000,000
Gross proceeds from financing									$ 50,000,000
Interest rate									9.00%	9.00%
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Second Tranche [Member] | Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Gross proceeds from financing						$ 50,000,000
Interest rate						9.00%
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Second Tranche [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash on hand									$ 50,000,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Second Tranche [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash on hand						$ 50,000,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Third Tranche [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration payable | €											€ 15,000,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Third Tranche [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Target revenue to be achieved | €											25,000,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Fourth Tranche [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration | €							€ 1,100,000
Cash consideration payable | €											2,500,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | U.S. Dollars [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration			$ 25,000,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Euro [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration payable | €											€ 27,500,000
TransEnterix Italia [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Membership interests percentage under Security agreement			10.00%								10.00%
Legal, consulting and other costs related to acquisition								$ 4,200,000