Consolidated Statements of Preferred Stock and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit) (USD $) In Thousands	Total	Series A Preferred Stock	Series B Preferred Stock	Series B-1 Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Deficit
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ (68,613)	$ 19,885	$ 40,016	$ 15,104	$ 5	$ 1,288	$ (69,906)
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2012		5,696	11,490	45,998	4,675
Accretion of issuance costs	(40)	0	31	9	0	(40)	0
Stock-based compensation	484	0	0	0	0	484	0
Exercise of stock options	34	0	0	0	0	34
Exercise of stock options, Shares		0	0	0	53
Exercise of warrants	50	0	0	0	0	50	0
Exercise of warrants, Shares		0	0	0	150
Reverse acquisition recapitalization adjustment	169,195	(19,885)	(40,047)	(15,113)	163	169,032
Reverse acquisition recapitalization adjustment, Shares		(5,696)	(11,490)	(45,998)	162,895
Redemption of TransEnterix shares for cash to non-accredited investors					0
Redemption of TransEnterix shares for cash to non-accredited investors, Shares					271
Conversion of preferred stock warrants to common stock warrants	1,909					1,909
Issuance of Preferred Stock	30,197		30,197
Issuance of Preferred Stock, Shares			7,570
Net loss	(20,327)						(20,327)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2013	$ 112,889	$ 0	$ 30,197	$ 0	$ 168	$ 172,757	$ (90,233)
Ending Balance, Share at Sep. 30, 2013		0	7,570	0	167,502