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Stockholders' Equity - Schedule Of Stock Repurchase Activities (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract] |  |  |
Shares repurchased (shares) | 7.3 | 0.2 | 1.1
Average price per share (usd per share) | $ 310.32 | $ 201.70 | $ 167.41
Value of shares repurchased | $ 2,274.0 | $ 42.5 | $ 183.7

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- Definition The average price per share paid by the Company to acquire stock under the stock repurchase program in the reporting period. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | isrg_
Data Type: | num:perShareItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The cash outflow to reacquire common stock during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3291-108585 + Details
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Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and have not been retired and are not held in treasury. Some state laws may govern the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84159872&loc=d3e21463-112644 + Details
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