SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	9 Months Ended
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	Sep. 30, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of Presentation In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (“Financial Statements”) of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. and its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries have been prepared on a consistent basis with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, and include all adjustments, consisting of only normal, recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly state the information set forth herein. The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and, therefore, omit certain information and footnote disclosure necessary to present the Financial Statements in accordance with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, which was filed with the SEC on February 3, 2022. The results of operations for the first nine months of 2022 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire fiscal year or any future periods. The Financial Statements include the results and balances of the Company’s majority-owned joint venture (“Joint Venture”) with Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Fosun Pharma”). Chindex Medical Limited (“Chindex”), a subsidiary of Fosun Pharma, has been its distribution partner for da Vinci Surgical Systems in China. The Company holds a controlling financial interest in the Joint Venture, and the noncontrolling interest is reflected as a separate component of the consolidated stockholders’ equity. The noncontrolling interest’s share of the earnings in the Joint Venture is presented separately in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. Risks and Uncertainties The Company’s future results of operations and liquidity could be materially adversely affected by macroeconomic factors contributing to delays in payments of outstanding receivables, supply chain disruptions, including shortages and inflationary pressure, uncertain or reduced demand, and the impact of any initiatives or programs that the Company may undertake to address financial and operational challenges faced by its customers. In particular, the Company has experienced increased difficulties in obtaining a sufficient supply of a number of component materials used in its products, such as semiconductor components as well as a range of other materials including, but not limited to, metals and polymers, as global supply has become significantly constrained due to increased demand for certain materials. Additionally, prices of such materials have increased due to the increased demand and supply shortage. With rising interest rates, access to credit may become more difficult, and any insolvency of the Company’s key suppliers, including sole-source suppliers, may exacerbate current supply chain challenges. The Company is engaged in activities to seek to mitigate supply disruptions by, for example, increasing its communications with its suppliers and modifying its purchase order coverage and inventory levels. However, the global supply chain shortages will remain a challenge for the foreseeable future. The Company has also experienced challenges in logistics, as certain shipping routes have been impacted by port closures. Such global shortages in important components and logistics challenges have resulted in, and will continue to cause, inflationary cost pressure in the Company’s supply chain. To date, the inflationary cost pressure has been more pronounced in the Company’s logistics costs, but these supply chain challenges have not materially impacted the Company’s results of operations or ability to deliver products and services to its customers. However, if shortages in important supply chain materials in the semiconductor or other markets or logistics challenges continue, the Company could fail to meet product demand, which could result in deferred or cancelled procedures. Additionally, if inflationary pressures in logistics or component costs persist, the Company may not be able to quickly or easily adjust pricing, reduce costs, or implement countermeasures. Additionally, there is uncertainty surrounding the impact of any monetary policy changes taken by the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks to address the structural risks associated with inflation. Increased labor shortages globally, including staff burnout and attrition, could also impact the Company’s ability to hire and retain personnel critical to its manufacturing, logistics, and commercial operations. The Company is also highly dependent on the principal members of its management and scientific staff. Attracting and retaining qualified personnel is critical to its success, and competition for them has become more intense. The loss of critical members of the Company’s team, or its inability to attract and retain qualified personnel, could significantly harm its operations, business, and ability to compete. Hospitals are also experiencing staffing shortages and supply chain issues that could affect their ability to provide patient care. Additionally, hospitals are facing significant financial pressure as supply chain constraints and inflation drive up operating costs, rising interest rates make access to credit more expensive, unrealized losses decrease available cash reserves, and fiscal stimulus programs enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic wind down. To the extent macroeconomic conditions remain challenging, it is likely that hospitals’ spend on capital equipment will be adversely impacted. In addition, as competition progresses in various markets, longer selling cycles and pricing pressures are likely to result. As of the date of issuance of these Financial Statements, the extent to which these macroeconomic factors may materially adversely affect the Company’s financial condition, liquidity, or results of operations is uncertain. The Company is also subject to additional risks and uncertainties due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The extent of the impact on the Company’s business is highly uncertain and difficult to predict. The Company’s customers may divert resources to treat COVID-19 patients and defer some elective surgical procedures, both of which may impact the Company’s customers’ ability to meet their obligations, including to the Company. The severity of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business will depend on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the duration and severity of the pandemic and the extent and severity of the impact on the Company’s customers, all of which are uncertain and cannot be predicted. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Business Combinations In October 2021, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2021-08”), which creates an exception to the general recognition and measurement principle in ASC 805 by requiring companies to apply ASC 606 to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities from contracts with customers acquired in a business combination. The guidance additionally clarifies that companies should apply the definition of a performance obligation in ASC 606 when recognizing contract liabilities assumed in a business combination. The Company has early adopted ASU 2021-08 as of January 1, 2022, on a prospective basis. The impact of the adoption of ASU 2021-08 had an immaterial impact on the Company’s Financial Statements in the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions In June 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-03, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions (“ASU 2022-03”), which applies to all equity securities measured at fair value that are subject to contractual sale restrictions. This change prohibits entities from taking into account contractual restrictions on the sale of equity securities when estimating fair value and introduces required disclosures for such transactions. The Company has early adopted ASU 2022-03 as of July 1, 2022, on a prospective basis. There was no impact of the adoption of ASU 2022-03 on the Company’s Financial Statements in the three months ended September 30, 2022. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-02, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures (“ASU 2022-02”), which eliminates the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings by creditors while enhancing disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancings and restructurings by creditors when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. Additionally, the standard requires disclosure of current-period gross write-offs by year of origination for financing receivables and net investments in leases within the scope of Subtopic ASC 326-20, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses-Measured at Amortized Cost. The standard will become effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2023, and should be applied prospectively. The adoption of ASU 2022-02 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s future Financial Statements. Significant Accounting Policies There have been no new or material changes to the significant accounting policies discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, that are of significance, or potential significance, to the Company.