<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-06-011575
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20060215
<FILING-DATE>20060217
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20060217
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>INTUITIVE SURGICAL INC
<CIK>0001035267
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3842
<IRS-NUMBER>770416458
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>950 KIFER ROAD
<CITY>SUNNYVALE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94086
<PHONE>4085232100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>950 KIFER ROAD
<CITY>SUNNYVALE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94086
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Gong Benjamin B
<CIK>0001344823
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-30713
<FILM-NUMBER>06628174
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>(408) 523-2100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>INTUITIVE SURGICAL INC
<STREET2>950 KIFER ROAD
<CITY>SUNNYVALE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94086
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
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<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-02-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
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        <issuerName>INTUITIVE SURGICAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ISRG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

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        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001344823</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Gong Benjamin B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>950 KIFER ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SUNNYVALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94086</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President, Finance</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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                <value>Common Stock</value>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            <transactionDate>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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                <transactionShares>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            <securityTitle>
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            <transactionDate>
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            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1250</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>18.50</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-02-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1250</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-02-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1250</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.74</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-02-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1250</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-02-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>18.50</value>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-02-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2534</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Purchase made pursuant to the 2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">All share option grants are vested.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Exercised shares are fully exercisable; remaining option shares vested at 1/48th of total grant per month.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Benjamin Gong</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-02-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
