LEASES - Credit Quality Indicator (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Sales-type Lease, Net Investment in Lease, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	$ 93.7
2023	59.3
2022	96.8
2021	71.1
2020	25.4
Prior	3.8
Subtotal	350.1	$ 371.6
High
Sales-type Lease, Net Investment in Lease, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	31.0
2023	31.8
2022	47.6
2021	38.1
2020	11.0
Prior	1.8
Subtotal	161.3
Moderate
Sales-type Lease, Net Investment in Lease, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	60.0
2023	26.4
2022	49.2
2021	31.3
2020	14.1
Prior	2.0
Subtotal	183.0
Low
Sales-type Lease, Net Investment in Lease, Credit Quality Indicator [Line Items]
2024	2.7
2023	1.1
2022	0.0
2021	1.7
2020	0.3
Prior	0.0
Subtotal	$ 5.8

Amount, before allowance for credit loss, of net investment in sales-type lease.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7A
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-7A

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479344/326-20-45-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 14
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-14

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479773/842-30-50-6

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeLeaseNetInvestmentInLease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeLeaseNetInvestmentInLeaseCreditQualityIndicatorLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of net investment in sales-type lease originated more than five years prior to current fiscal year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-6

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeLeaseNetInvestmentInLeaseOriginatedFiveOrMoreYearsBeforeLatestFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of net investment in sales-type lease originated four years prior to current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeLeaseNetInvestmentInLeaseOriginatedFourYearsBeforeLatestFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of net investment in sales-type lease originated in current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeLeaseNetInvestmentInLeaseOriginatedInCurrentFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of net investment in sales-type lease originated in fiscal year prior to current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeLeaseNetInvestmentInLeaseOriginatedInFiscalYearBeforeLatestFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of net investment in sales-type lease originated three years prior to current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeLeaseNetInvestmentInLeaseOriginatedThreeYearsBeforeLatestFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of net investment in sales-type lease originated two years prior to current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesTypeLeaseNetInvestmentInLeaseOriginatedTwoYearsBeforeLatestFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=isrg_HighMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=isrg_ModerateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=isrg_LowMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: