Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
SMITH LONNIE M
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
INTUITIVE SURGICAL INC [ISRG] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chairman of the Board
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1266 KIFER ROAD		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/15/2012
(Street)

SUNNYVALE, CA 94086		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 04/20/2012   M   17,500 A $ 47.86 308,775 D  
Common Stock 04/20/2012   S   17,500 (1) D $ 575.0877 (2) 291,275 D  
Common Stock               95,681 I by Trust

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) $ 47.86 04/20/2012   M     17,500   (3) 02/11/2015 Common Stock 17,500 $ 0 12,500 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) $ 505.23 02/15/2012   A   2,500     (4) 02/15/2022 Common Stock 2,500 $ 0 2,500 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
SMITH LONNIE M
1266 KIFER ROAD
SUNNYVALE, CA 94086		   X     Chairman of the Board  

Signatures

 Lonnie M. Smith   04/23/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) These shares were sold pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan, entered into on March 8, 2012.
(2) The average selling price for the transactions was $575.08766. The shares sold at: $569.00 - $569.99 = 427 shares; $570.00 to $570.99 = 2,261 shares; $571.00 - $571.99 = 1,771 shares; $572.00 - $572.99 = 1,538 shares; $573.00 - $573.99 = 1,030 shares; $574.00 - $574.99 = 1,836 shares; $575.00 - $575.99 = 1,554 shares; $576.00 = $576.99 = 841 shares; $577.00 - $577.99 = 366 shares; $578.00 - $578.99 = 2,282 shares; $579.00 - $579.99 = 2,349 shares; $580.00 - $580.99 = 944 shares; $581.00 - $581.99 = 301 shares.
(3) Non-statutory stock option granted pursuant to the 2000 Employee Stock Option Plan. Option shall vest 1/8 six months after the date of grant and 1/48th each month thereafter.
(4) Non-statutory stock option granted pursuant to the 2000 Employee Stock Option Plan. The option vests 1/8th six months after the date of grant and 1/48th monthly thereafter.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.