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	Series B Non-Redeemable Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Deficit
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ (53,611)	$ 19,972	$ 40,020	$ 14,822	$ 0	$ 5	$ 865	$ (54,481)
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2011		5,734	11,504	45,121	0	5,282
Proceeds from Issuance of Series B-1 Preferred Stock net of issuance costs of $21	0	0	0	268	0	0	0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Series B-1 Preferred Stock net of issuance costs of $21, Shares		0	0	877	0	0
Accretion of issuance costs	(106)	46	46	14	0	0	(106)	0
Stock-based compensation	343	0	0	0	0	0	343	0
Exercise of stock options	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Exercise of stock options, Shares	48	0	0	0	0	48
Conversion of preferred stock to common stock	183	(133)	(50)	0	0	0	183	0
Conversion of preferred stock to common stock, Shares		(38)	(14)	0	0	61
Net loss	(15,425)	0	0	0	0	0	0	(15,425)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	(68,613)	19,885	40,016	15,104	0	5	1,288	(69,906)
Ending Balance, Share at Dec. 31, 2012		5,696	11,490	45,998	0	5,391
Accretion of issuance costs	(40)	0	31	9	0	0	(40)	0
Stock-based compensation	941	0	0	0	0	0	941	0
Exercise of stock options	54	0	0	0	0	0	54	0
Exercise of stock options, Shares	341	0	0	0	0	341
Exercise of warrants	90	0	0	0	0	1	89	0
Exercise of warrants, Shares		0	0	0	0	833
Reverse acquisition recapitalization adjustment	168,843	(19,885)	(40,047)	(15,113)	0	162	168,681	0
Reverse acquisition recapitalization adjustment, Shares		(5,696)	(11,490)	(45,998)	0	162,217
Redemption of TransEnterix Surgical shares for cash to non-accredited investors	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Redemption of TransEnterix Surgical shares for cash to non-accredited investors, Shares		0	0	0	0	(271)
Conversion of preferred stock warrants to common stock warrants	1,909	0	0	0	0	0	1,909	0
Issuance of Preferred Stock	30,197	0		0	30,197	0	0	0
Issuance of Preferred Stock, Shares		0	0	0	7,570	0
Conversion of preferred stock to common stock	0	0	0	0	(30,197)	76	30,121	0
Conversion of preferred stock to common stock, Shares		0	0	0	(7,570)	75,697
Net loss	(28,358)	0	0	0	0	0	0	(28,358)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 105,023	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 244	$ 203,043	$ (98,264)
Ending Balance, Share at Dec. 31, 2013		0	0	0	0	244,208