Acquisition of Senhance Surgical Robotic System - Additional Information (Detail)			3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2016 EUR (€) shares	Sep. 21, 2015 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2016 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2016 USD ($) Event	Dec. 30, 2016 EUR (€) Event	Sep. 21, 2015 EUR (€)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Securities consideration held in escrow percentage		10.00%
Escrow and security interest period		24 months
Escrow and security interest expiration date		Sep. 21, 2017
Fourth Tranche [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments of contingent consideration | $			$ 395,000
Senhance Surgical Robotic System Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Common shares issued | shares		15,543,413
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%
Number of events | Event							3	3
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	€ 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%