Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail)								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 04, 2017 USD ($) shares	Jan. 04, 2017 EUR (€) shares	Dec. 30, 2016 EUR (€) shares	Sep. 21, 2015 USD ($) shares	Jun. 12, 2014	Oct. 25, 2013	Nov. 02, 2009	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Contingent consideration related to acquisition									$ 23,900,000
Fair value of contingent consideration								$ 22,800,000	23,500,000
Liability or related charge recorded for legal contingencies								0
Supply Commitment [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Commitments under Robotic Agreement								0	400,000
Corporate offices [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Lease expiration date					Jun. 30, 2018
Operating lease agreement period							5 years
Operating lease amended extension period					3 years 2 months
Operating lease, renew option period					3 years
Warehouse [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Operating lease agreement period						4 years 4 months
Operating lease additional renewed period						6 years
Operating leases, rent expense								907,000	513,000	$ 424,000
Office Building [Member] | Shareholder [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Operating leases, rent expense								0	0	$ 89,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Contingent consideration related to acquisition								500,000	$ 400,000
Common shares issued | shares				15,543,413
Fair value of contingent consideration				$ 23,900,000				22,800,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration	$ 17,600,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Aggregate milestone payments | €		€ 21,400,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | License and Supply Agreements [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Commitments under agreements, in 2017								7,403,000
Commitments under agreements, in 2018								841,000
Commitments under agreements, in 2019								841,000
Commitments under agreements, in 2020								526,000
Commitments under agreements, in 2021								526,000
Commitments under agreements, thereafter until termination in 2027								$ 3,200,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Common Stock [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Common shares issued | shares	3,722,685	3,722,685
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Second Tranche [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Contingent consideration related to acquisition | €			€ (5,000,000)
Common shares issued | shares			3,722,685
Aggregate fair market value of common stock | €			€ 5,000,000
Fair value of contingent consideration | €			€ 5,000,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Second Tranche [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Common shares issued | shares	3,722,685	3,722,685
Fair value of contingent consideration | €		€ 5,000,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member] | Second Tranche [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Common shares issued | shares			3,722,685
TransEnterix Italia [Member] | Research and Development and Demonstration Facilities [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Operating lease agreement period								6 years