Optical positioning guide for surgical tool

Abstract

A surgical tool comprises a handle; a tip element positioned at an end of the handle, the tip element configured to be positioned underneath skin of a patient during use of the surgical tool; and a light emitting element mounted on the handle and configured to emit visible light, such that when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin of the patient, the visible light is incident on a surface of the skin of the patient at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of the tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

Description

OPTICAL POSITIONING GUIDE FOR SURGICAL TOOLCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 666,755 filed July 2, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to an optical positioning guide for a surgical tool, and more particularly, to a surgical tool having a light emitting element indicating the position and / or trajectory of a tip of the tool underneath the skin of a patient.BACKGROUND

[0003] Minimally invasive surgeries often include the use of a surgical tool with a tip element that is positioned underneath the skin of a patient. The tip element may include a cutting tool that is able to cut various tissues underneath the patient’s skin. However, the tip element itself is generally visually obscured underneath the skin, making it difficult to determine and track the location of the tip element during the surgery. Thus, new systems and methods are needed for determining and tracking the location of the tip element of the surgical tool during use.SUMMARY

[0004] According to some implementations of the present disclosure, a surgical tool includes a handle, a tip element positioned at an end of the handle, and a light emitting element mounted on the handle. The tip element is configured to be positioned underneath skin of a patient during use of the surgical tool. The light emitting element is configured to emit visible light, such that when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin of the patient, the visible light is incident on a surface of the skin of the patient at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of the tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0005] According to some implementations of the present disclosure, a method of operating a surgical tool that includes a handle, a tip element positioned at an end of the handle, and a light emitting element mounted to the handle includes positioning the tip element of thesurgical tool underneath skin of a patient. The method further includes operating the light emitting element to emit visible light that is incident on a surface of the skin of the patient at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of the tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0006] According to some implementations of the present disclosure, the method further includes marking on the surface of the skin of a desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the skin, the desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the skin corresponding to a desired trajectory of the tip element underneath the surface of the skin. The method further includes moving the handle such that the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin follows the desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the skin.

[0007] According to some implementations of the present disclosure, an optical positioning guide for a surgical tool includes a light emitting element configured to be movably coupled to or movably formed with a handle of the surgical tool.

[0008] According to some implementations of the present disclosure, an optical positioning guide for a surgical tool includes a light emitting element configured to be coupled to or formed with a handle of the surgical tool and to emit visible light that is incident on a surface of skin of a patient at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of a tip element of the surgical tool underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0009] According to some implementations of the present disclosure, an optical positioning guide for a surgical tool includes a light emitting element configured to be movably coupled to or movably formed with a handle of the surgical tool and to emit visible light that is incident on a surface of skin of a patient at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of a tip element of the surgical tool underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0010] The above summary is not intended to represent each implementation or every aspect of the present disclosure. Additional features and benefits of the present disclosure are apparent from the detailed description and figures set forth below.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The disclosure, and its advantages and drawings, will be better understood from the following description of representative embodiments together with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings depict only representative embodiments, and are therefore not to be considered as limitations on the scope of the various embodiments or claims.

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates the use of a conventional surgical tool, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates a surgical tool with a light emitting element, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates the surgical tool of FIG. 2 when the light emitting element is emitting visible light that is incident on a surface, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates the use of the surgical tool of FIG. 2, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5 A is a side view of the surgical tool of FIG. 2 when the location of the incident light on a surface is aligned with the location of a tip of the surgical tool underneath the surface, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 5B is a side view of the surgical tool of FIG. 2 when the location of the incident light on a surface is positioned forward of the location of the tip of the surgical tool underneath the surface, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a method for using the surgical tool of FIG. 2, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0019] While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific implementations and embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the present disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a surgical tool 10 being used during minimally invasive surgery of a patient’s foot 20. The surgical tool 10 includes a tip element 12 having a distal end 14A and a protruding shaft 14B. As shown, two reference lines 22 A and 22B have been drawn on the patient’s skin. In an implementation, one of the lines, for example, reference line 22 A represents a desired trajectory for a distal end 14A of a tip element 12 of the surgical tool 10. The other reference line 22B provides a reference to the surgeon to guide where to make the initial incision and / or to mark other features of the anatomy that are useful for later steps of the surgery. For example, in FIG. 1, the reference line 22B represents the center of the heel bone24 (e.g., the center of the calcaneus) and provides not only an indication of where to start an incision, but also provides a reference for screw insertion trajectory after cutting the heel bone 24.

[0021] Still referring to FIG. 1, the tip element 12 of the surgical tool 10 has been inserted into the foot 20 so that the distal end 14A of the tip element 12 is underneath the skin of the foot 20 adjacent to the heel bone 24, while the shaft 14B of the tip element 12 extends exterior to the foot 20. In an implementation, the two reference lines 22A, 22B are marked on the patient’s skin before the tip element 12 is inserted. In another implementation, the tip element 12 is inserted first and then the two reference lines 22A, 22B are marked on the skin based on where the tip element 12 has been inserted.

[0022] During the surgery, in this example, the surgical tool 10 is moved so that the distal end 14A of the tip element 12 contacts the heel bone 24, which may be used to drill into the heel bone 24, cut away portions of the heel bone 24, or any other suitable action. During the movement of the surgical tool 10, the protruding shaft 14B of the tip element 12 moves in the direction of the reference line 22A. However, because the skin of the foot 20 has not been fully opened up to allow the surgeon to directly view the distal end 14A of the tip element 12 contacting the heel bone 24, it can be difficult for the surgeon to monitor the location of the distal end 14A of the tip element 12.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a surgical tool 100 for use in minimally invasive surgeries, such as the type of surgery shown in FIG. 1. The surgical tool 100 includes a handle 102, a tip element 110 positioned at the end of the handle 102, and a light emitting element 120 mounted on the handle 102. The tip element 110 can be or include any suitable tool used in different surgeries, such as a cutting tool (e.g., scissors, a burr, a blade, etc.), a grasping tool, a fixation tool, etc. During the use of the surgical tool 100, the tip element 110 (or at least the distal end thereof) will be positioned underneath the skin of the patient, and thus will not be visible to the user of the tool.

[0024] The light emitting element 120 is configured to emit visible light that will be incident on the surface of the patient’s skin during use of the surgical tool 100. As discussed in more detail herein, the location of the incident light on the surface of the patient’s skin can be indicative of the location of the tip element 110 underneath the skin, the current trajectory of the tip element 110 underneath the skin, or both, as discussed in further detail herein.

[0025] The light emitting element 120 can includes a housing 122 and a light emitting component 124. The housing 122 can be integrally formed with the handle 102, or can be a separate component that is coupled to the handle 102. The light emitting component 124 cangenerally be any suitable component that emits visible light, such as one or more lasers, one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), or light emitting components, and any combinations thereof.

[0026] In some implementations the light emitting element 120 is movable relative to the handle 102. For example, the light emitting element 120 could be translationally movable relative to the handle 102, rotationally movable relative to the handle 102, or both. In some of these implementations, the housing 122 is movably mounted on the handle 102, while the light emitting component 124 is stationary or movable within the housing 122. In others of these implementations, the housing 122 is fixedly mounted on the handle 102, while the light emitting component 124 is movable within the housing 122. In any of these implementations, the light emitting element 120 can be moved to change the location of the emitted incident light on the surface of the patient’s skin.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows the surgical tool 100 when the light emitting element 120 is emitting visible light that is incident on an example surface. In the illustrated implementation, the incident light forms a marker 130 on the surface that takes the form of a small dot or circle. However, the light emitting element 120 can be configured to such that the incident light forms markers of other shapes, such as a plurality of concentric circles, crosshairs, X shapes, etc. In general, the light emitting element 120 can be configured such that the incident light forms a marker on the surface having any predetermined shape. In some cases, the predetermined shape may be adjustable, for example to work with different surgeries and / or different patient anatomies. In other implementations, the incident light may form an elongated line segment on the surface of the skin showing the current trajectory of the tip element 110 and / or the incident light. In still other implementations, the light emitting element 120 can switch between a marker and an elongated line segment.

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates how the surgical tool 100 can be used during surgery. In FIG. 4, an outline 402 has been drawn on the surface 400, as a 2D representation of a bone or other structure that the surgical tool 100 interacts with (e.g., cuts, grinds, etc.). The tip element 110 of the surgical tool 100 is positioned touching or within close proximity to the surface 400, representing the tip element 110 being underneath the skin of the patient during use. Thus, the position of the tip element 110 is not visible to the user of the surgical tool 100 (e.g., the surgeon), and the current trajectory of the tip element 110 is also not certain.

[0029] A line 404 indicating the desired trajectory of the incident light from the light emitting element 120 has been drawn on the surface 400. As shown in FIG. 4, the visible light emitting by the light emitting element 120 is incident on the surface 400 at a location 406 thatfalls along the line 404. From the location 406 of the incident light, the user is able to determine the current traj ectory of the tip element 110, even though the tip element 110 itself is not visible. So long as the location 406 of the incident light on the surface remains on the line 404 as the user moves the handle 102 during use of the surgical tool 100, the user ensures that the tip element 110 continues to move along the desired trajectory of the tip element 110.

[0030] Those of skill in the art will understand that the trajectory that is indicated by line 404 is the trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the patient’s skin that will result in the tip element 110 undergoing the desired trajectory of the tip element 110, but is not necessarily the desired trajectory of the tip element 110 itself. In some cases, the desired trajectory of the incident light is generally the same as the desired trajectory of the tip element 110. In these cases, the line 404 represents the desired trajectory of both the incident light and the tip element 110. In other cases, however, the desired trajectory of the incident light is different than the trajectory of the tip element 110, for example due to different procedures being performed and / or variations in the patient’s anatomy. In these other cases, the line 404 represents the desired trajectory of the incident light, which will result in the tip element 110 undergoing its own desired trajectory.

[0031] In some implementations, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin may be precisely aligned with the location of the tip element 110 underneath the surface of the skin. In these cases, the two locations will generally be aligned on opposite sides of the surface of the skin (e.g., an axis connecting the two locations will be approximately normal to the surface of the skin at the point where the axis intersects with the surface). In other implementations, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin may be offset from the location of the tip element 110 underneath the skin. In either of these implementations, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin will generally be indicative of the location of the tip element 110 underneath the skin, and can be used to ensure the tip element 110 is being moved according to the desired trajectory. In these implementations, the incident light on the surface of the skin will generally be a marker (e.g., a circle, a dot, concentric circles, crosshairs, etc.) indicating the location of the tip element 110 (or a location that is offset from the tip element 110 by a known amount).

[0032] In other implementations, the incident light is indicative of the current trajectory of the tip element 110. In these implementations, the incident light will generally take the form of an elongated line segment indicating the current trajectory. These implementations may be useful in applications where it is desirable to know which direction the tip element 110 is facing, and also applications where it is desirable to be able to determine the current trajectoryof the tip element 110 without having to actually advance the tip element 110 (e.g., by moving the handle 102). For example, a single marker indicating the specific position of the tip element 110 can be used to determine the current trajectory by the tool, by comparing the marker to a trajectory that is marked on the patient’s skin, and ensuring that the marker remains on this marked trajectory as the surgical tool 100 is moved. However, if the incident line forms an elongated line segment on the surface of the skin, the user can determine the direction the tip element 110 is facing and what the trajectory of the tip element 110 would be, without having to actual advance the tip element 110 (e.g., by moving the handle 102) and ensure the marker stays on the marked trajectory.

[0033] In further implementations, the incident light on the surface of the skin can include both a marker and an elongated line segment. In these implementations, the marker can indicate the current location of the tip element 110 (or a location that is offset from the tip element 110 by a known amount), and the elongated line segment can indicate the current trajectory of the tip element 110.

[0034] In any of the implementations, the light emitting element 120 can be movable between different positions to thereby adjust the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin. For example, the light emitting element 120 can be moved from a first position where the marker on the surface of the skin is aligned with the location of the tip element 110 underneath the skin, to a second position where the marker on the surface of the skin is offset from the location of the tip element 110 underneath the skin by a known amount.

[0035] In some of these implementations, the tip element 110 may be capable of being positioned at plurality of possible depths beneath the surface of the patient’s skin. Because the handle 102 of the surgical tool 100 is often held at an angle, the different depths will correspond to different locations on the surface of the skin. Thus, in these implementations, the light emitting element 120 can be moved to a position that corresponds to the current depth of the tip element 110 (or what the current depth of the tip element 110 will be if the movement of the light emitting element 120 occurs before the tip element 110 is inserted). In some cases, each possible position of the light emitting element 120 corresponds to one of the plurality of possible depths of the tip element 110. Thus, for each respective position of the light emitting element 120, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the location of the tip element 110 underneath the skin and / or the current trajectory of the tip element 110 underneath the skin for only that one depth. In other cases, though, at least one position of the light emitting element 120 may correspond to multiple depths of the tip element110. In further cases, the light emitting element 120 may have positions that do not correspond to a specific depth of the tip element 110.

[0036] FIGS. 5 A and 5B show cross-sectional views of the surgical tool 100 illustrating the light emitting element 120 indicating the position of the tip element 110. In FIG. 5 A, the surgical tool 100 is disposed above a surface 504A, which will generally be the skin of a patient. The handle 102 and the light emitting element 120 are positioned above the surface 504A, and the tip element 110 is inserted through the surface 504A. The light emitted by the light emitting element 120 is represented by trajectory 502, showing the light incident at a location 506A on the surface 504A. The distal end of the tip element 110 terminates at an imaginary surface 504B underneath the surface 504A (e.g., at an imaginary surface underneath the patient’s skin), and is positioned at location 508 on the imaginary surface 504B that is aligned with the location 506A on the surface 504A upon which the light is incident. An axis 505A connecting the location 506 of the incident light and the location 508 of the distal tip of the tip element is approximately normal to the surface 504A. Thus, even though the distal end of the tip element 110 and the imaginary surface 504B are underneath the surface 504 A and are not visible, the location 506A of the light on the surface 504A can be used to indicate the location of the distal end of the tip element 110.

[0037] In FIG. 5B, the tool 100 has been adjusted so that the light from the light emitting element 120 is now incident at a location 506B on the surface 504A, which is not aligned with the location 508 on the imaginary surface 504B, but is instead moved forward. An axis 505B connecting the location 506 of the incident light and the location 508 of the distal tip of the tip element is not normal to the surface 504A, and is instead at an angle (not equal to 90°) relative to the surface 504A. In this case, the location 506B on the surface 504A is a predetermined distance ahead of the location 508 on the imaginary surface 504B. This affords the operator of the surgical tool 100 an amount of distance between the location of the light from the light emitting element 120 and the location of the distal tip of the tip element 110. For example, if the use of the tool involves sensitive or important structures within the patient (e.g., tendons, ligaments, muscles, organs, etc.) that must not be contacted by the distal tip of the tip element 110, moving the location of the incident light forward relative to the location of the distal tip provides the operator with a small margin of error to stop advancing the surgical tool 100 before the distal tip contacts any structure that should not be contacted.

[0038] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a method 600 for operating the surgical tool 100. Step 602 of method 600 includes positioning the tip element 110 underneath the skin of the patient, and step 604 of method 600 includes operating the light emitting element 120 to emitvisible light that is incident on the surface of the patient’s skin at a location that is indicative of the location of the tip element 110 underneath the patient’s skin, the current trajectory of the tip element 110 underneath the patient’s skin, or both. While step 604 is illustrated as being performed after step 602, the steps could be performed in any order. For example, the light emitting element 120 can be operated to emit visible light that is incident on the skin, and then the tip element 110 can be positioned underneath the patient’s skin. These steps could also be performed generally simultaneously.

[0039] In some cases, the tip element 110 is positioned at a specific depth underneath the patient’s skin in step 602. In these cases, method 600 can further include step 606, which includes adjusting the position of the light emitting element 120 to correspond to the depth of the tip element 110 underneath the patient’s skin. In some implementations, when the light emitting element 120 is adjusted to the one position, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the location of the tip element 110 underneath the skin or the current trajectory of the tip element 110 underneath the skin for only the current depth of the tip element 110 underneath the skin of the patient. Step 606 can be performed prior to step 602, after step 602 and prior to step 604, or after step 604.

[0040] In some cases, method 600 further includes steps 608 and 610. Step 608 includes marking onto the surface of the patient’s skin the desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the patient’s skin. Step 608 can be performed prior to step 602, after step 602, prior to step 604, after step 604, prior to step 606, or after step 606. As discussed herein, in some cases the desired trajectory of the incident light on the skin is the trajectory of the incident light that will result in the tip element 110 undergoing its own desired trajectory (which may be the same trajectory as the incident light or a different trajectory). Step 610 includes moving the handle 102 (e.g., as part of use of the surgical tool 100 during the procedure) so that the incident light follows the marked trajectory or remains aligned with the marked trajectory. For example, if the incident light forms a marker on the surface of the skin, then the handle 102 is moved so that the marker follows the marked trajectory. If the incident light forms an elongated line segment on the surface of the skin, then the handle 102 is moved so that the elongated line segment remains aligned with the marked trajectory.

[0041] In some cases, method 600 includes step 609 prior to step 610. Step 609 includes adjusting the handle 102 so that the incident light lies on or is aligned with the marked trajectory. For example, if the incident light forms a marker on the surface of the skin, then the handle 102 is adjusted so that the marker lies on the marked trajectory. Method 600 then proceeds to step 610, where the handle 102 is moved so that the marker follows the markedtrajectory. If the incident light forms an elongated line segment on the surface of the skin, then the handle 102 is adjusted so that the elongated line segment is aligned with the marked trajectory. Method 600 then proceeds to step 610, where the handle 102 is moved so that the elongated line segment remains aligned with the marked trajectory.

[0042] The light emitting element disclosed herein can thus form part of an optical positioning guide for a surgical tool. In some implementations, the optical positioning guide comprises the light emitting element which is configured to be movably coupled to or movable formed with a handle of a surgical tool. In some implementations, the optical positioning guide comprises the light emitting element which is configured to be coupled to or formed with a handle of a surgical tool, and to emit visible light that is incident on the surface of a patient’s skin at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of a tip element of the surgical tool underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii). In some implementations, the optical positioning guide comprises the light emitting element which is configured to be movably coupled to or movably formed with a handle of a surgical tool, and to emit visible light that is incident on the surface of a patient’s skin at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of a tip element of the surgical tool underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii). Further, while the devices disclosed herein are referred to as “surgical” tools, those of skill in the art will understand that such devices may be used for generally any procedure where the location of a tip element may be obscured by a surface, regardless of whether such procedure is understood to be a surgical procedure.

[0043] A method of preparing a surgical tool is also disclosed. The method comprises the surgical tool 100, which includes the handle 102, the tip element 110 positioned at the end of the handle 102, and the light emitting element 120 mounted to the handle 102. The method further comprises operating the light emitting element 120 (e.g., activating or turning on the light emitting element 120) to emit visible light. In some implementations, the method further comprises moving the light emitting element 120 to one of a plurality of positions that is associated with a desired depth of the tip element 110 underneath the skin of the patient during future use of the surgical tool. In some implementations, the method further comprises adjusting the light emitting element 120 so that the visible light emitted by the light emitting element will form a marker or an elongated line on the surface of the skin of the patient during future use of the surgical tool.

[0044] One or more elements or aspects or steps, or any portion(s) thereof, from one or more of any of claims or Alternative Implementations herein can be combined with one ormore elements or aspects or steps, or any portion(s) thereof, from one or more of any of the other claims or Alternative Implementations or combinations thereof, to form one or more additional implementations and / or claims of the present disclosure.

[0045] ALTERNATIVE IMPLEMENTATIONS

[0046] Alternative Implementation 1. A surgical tool, comprising: a handle; a tip element positioned at an end of the handle, the tip element configured to be positioned underneath skin of a patient during use of the surgical tool; and a light emitting element mounted on the handle and configured to emit visible light, such that when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin of the patient, the visible light is incident on a surface of the skin of the patient at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of the tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0047] Alternative Implementation 2. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 1, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is aligned with the location of the tip element underneath the skin.

[0048] Alternative Implementation 3. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 2, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, an axis connecting the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin and the location of the tip element underneath the skin is approximately normal to the surface of the skin.

[0049] Alternative Implementation 4. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 1, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is offset from the location of the tip element underneath the skin.

[0050] Alternative Implementation 5. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 1, wherein the light emitting element is movable between a plurality of different positions such that when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is movable relative to the location of the tip element underneath the skin.

[0051] Alternative Implementation 6. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 5, wherein the tip element is configured to be inserted to a plurality of different depths underneath the skin of the patient, and wherein each respective position of the light emitting element corresponds to one of the plurality of depths of the tip element.

[0052] Alternative Implementation 7. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 6, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, for each respective position of the light emitting element, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the location of the tip element underneath the skin or the current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin for only one of the plurality of depths of the tip element.

[0053] Alternative Implementation 8. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 1, wherein the light emitting element is translationally movable relative to the handle, rotationally movable relative to the handle, or both.

[0054] Alternative Implementation 9. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 1, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the location of the tip element underneath the skin, and wherein the incident light is configured to form a marker on the surface of the skin having a predetermined shape.

[0055] Alternative Implementation 10. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 9, wherein the marker includes a dot, a circle, a plurality of concentric circles, crosshairs, or any combination thereof.

[0056] Alternative Implementation 11. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 1, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, and wherein the incident light is configured to form an elongated line segment on the surface of the skin showing the current trajectory.

[0057] Alternative Implementation 12. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 1, wherein the light emitting element includes at least one laser, at least one light emitting diode, or both.

[0058] Alternative Implementation 13. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 1, wherein the light emitting element includes a housing and a light emitting component disposed at least partially within the housing, and wherein the housing is (i) a separate component from the handle that is coupled to the handle, or (ii) integrally formed with the handle.

[0059] Alternative Implementation 14. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 1, wherein the tip element includes a cutting tool, a grasping tool, a fixation tool, or any combination thereof.

[0060] Alternative Implementation 15. The surgical tool of Alternative Implementation 14, wherein the tip element includes is the cutting tool, and wherein the cutting tool includes scissors, a burr, a blade, or any combination thereof.

[0061] Alternative Implementation 16. An optical positioning guide for a surgical tool comprising a light emitting element configured to be movably coupled to or movably formed with a handle of the surgical tool.

[0062] Alternative Implementation 17. An optical positioning guide for a surgical tool comprising a light emitting element configured to be coupled to or formed with a handle of thesurgical tool and to emit visible light that is incident on a surface of skin of a patient at a location that, when a tip element of the surgical tool is inserted underneath the skin, is indicative of (i) a location of a tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0063] Alternative Implementation 18. An optical positioning guide for a surgical tool comprising a light emitting element configured to be movably coupled to or movably formed with a handle of the surgical tool and to emit visible light that is incident on a surface of skin of a patient at a location that, when a tip element of the surgical tool is inserted underneath the skin, is indicative of (i) a location of the tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0064] Alternative Implementation 19. A method of operating a surgical tool that includes a handle, a tip element positioned at an end of the handle, and a light emitting element mounted to the handle, the method comprising: positioning the tip element of the surgical tool underneath skin of a patient; and operating the light emitting element to emit visible light that is incident on a surface of the skin of the patient at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of the tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

[0065] Alternative Implementation 20. The method of Alternative Implementation 19, wherein the method further comprises: marking on the surface of the skin of a desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the skin, the desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the skin corresponding to a desired trajectory of the tip element underneath the surface of the skin; and moving the handle such that the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin follows the desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the skin.

[0066] Alternative Implementation 21. The method of Alternative Implementation 20, wherein the incident light forms a marker on the surface of the skin indicating the location of the tip element underneath the skin, and wherein the method further comprises, prior to moving the handle, adjusting the handle such that the marker on the surface of the skin lies on a portion of the desired trajectory of the incident light marked on the surface of the skin.

[0067] Alternative Implementation 22. The method of Alternative Implementation 20, wherein the incident light forms an elongated line on the surface of the skin indicating the current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, and wherein the method further comprises, prior to moving the handle, adjusting the handle such that the elongated line on the surface of the skin lies is aligned with the desired trajectory of the incident light marked on the surface of the skin.

[0068] Alternative Implementation 23. The method of Alternative Implementation 19, wherein the light emitting element is movable between a plurality of different positions, and wherein the method further comprises moving the light emitting element to one position of the plurality of positions that is associated with a current depth of the tip element underneath the skin of the patient.

[0069] Alternative Implementation 24. The method of Alternative Implementation 23, wherein when the light emitting element is moved to the one position, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the location of the tip element underneath the skin or the current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin for only the current depth of the tip element underneath the skin of the patient.

[0070] Alternative Implementation 25. The method of Alternative Implementation 19, wherein operating the light emitting element to emit visible light occurs before or after the tip element is positioned underneath the skin of the patient.

[0071] Alternative Implementation 26. A method of preparing a surgical tool for use, the method comprising: providing the surgical tool that includes a handle, a tip element positioned at an end of the handle, and a light emitting element mounted to the handle; and operating the light emitting element to emit visible light.

[0072] Alternative Implementation 27. The method of Alternative Implementation 26, wherein the light emitting element is movable between a plurality of different positions, and wherein the method further comprises moving the light emitting element to one position of the plurality of positions that is associated with a desired depth of the tip element of the surgical tool during use.

[0073] Alternative Implementation 28. The method of Alternative Implementation 26, further comprising adjusting the light emitting element such that the visible light emitted by the light emitting element is configured to form a marker on a surface of skin of a patient during use.

[0074] Alternative Implementation 29. The method of Alternative Implementation 26, further comprising adjusting the light emitting element such that the visible light emitted by the light emitting element is configured to form an elongated line on a surface of skin of a patient during use.

[0075] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments or implementations, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Each of these implementations and obvious variations thereof is contemplated asfalling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. It is also contemplated that additional implementations or alternative implementations according to aspects of the present disclosure may combine any number of features from any of the implementations described herein, such as, for example, in the alternative implementations described above.

Claims

CLAIMSWHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A surgical tool, comprising: a handle; a tip element positioned at an end of the handle, the tip element configured to be positioned underneath skin of a patient during use of the surgical tool; and a light emitting element mounted on the handle and configured to emit visible light, such that when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin of the patient, the visible light is incident on a surface of the skin of the patient at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of the tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

2. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is aligned with the location of the tip element underneath the skin.

3. The surgical tool of claim 2, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, an axis connecting the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin and the location of the tip element underneath the skin is approximately normal to the surface of the skin.

4. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is offset from the location of the tip element underneath the skin.

5. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is movable between a plurality of different positions such that when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is movable relative to the location of the tip element underneath the skin.

6. The surgical tool of claim 5, wherein the tip element is configured to be inserted to a plurality of different depths underneath the skin of the patient, and wherein each respective position of the light emitting element corresponds to one of the plurality of depths of the tip element.

7. The surgical tool of claim 6, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, for each respective position of the light emitting element, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the location of the tip element underneath the skin or the current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin for only one of the plurality of depths of the tip element.

8. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is translationally movable relative to the handle, rotationally movable relative to the handle, or both.

9. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the location of the tip element underneath the skin, and wherein the incident light is configured to form a marker on the surface of the skin having a predetermined shape.

10. The surgical tool of claim 9, wherein the marker includes a dot, a circle, a plurality of concentric circles, crosshairs, or any combination thereof.

11. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein when the tip element is inserted underneath the skin, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, and wherein the incident light is configured to form an elongated line segment on the surface of the skin showing the current trajectory.

12. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the light emitting element includes at least one laser, at least one light emitting diode, or both.

13. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the light emitting element includes a housing and a light emitting component disposed at least partially within the housing, and wherein the housing is (i) a separate component from the handle that is coupled to the handle, or (ii) integrally formed with the handle.

14. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the tip element includes a cutting tool, a grasping tool, a fixation tool, or any combination thereof.

15. The surgical tool of claim 14, wherein the tip element includes is the cutting tool, and wherein the cutting tool includes scissors, a burr, a blade, or any combination thereof.

16. An optical positioning guide for a surgical tool comprising a light emitting element configured to be movably coupled to or movably formed with a handle of the surgical tool.

17. An optical positioning guide for a surgical tool comprising a light emitting element configured to be coupled to or formed with a handle of the surgical tool and to emit visible light that is incident on a surface of skin of a patient at a location that, when a tip element of the surgical tool is inserted underneath the skin, is indicative of (i) a location of a tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

18. An optical positioning guide for a surgical tool comprising a light emitting element configured to be movably coupled to or movably formed with a handle of the surgical tool and to emit visible light that is incident on a surface of skin of a patient at a location that, when a tip element of the surgical tool is inserted underneath the skin, is indicative of (i) a location of the tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

19. A method of operating a surgical tool that includes a handle, a tip element positioned at an end of the handle, and a light emitting element mounted to the handle, the method comprising: positioning the tip element of the surgical tool underneath skin of a patient; and operating the light emitting element to emit visible light that is incident on a surface of the skin of the patient at a location that is indicative of (i) a location of the tip element underneath the skin, (ii) a current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, or (iii) both (i) and (ii).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises: marking on the surface of the skin of a desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the skin, the desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the skin corresponding to a desired trajectory of the tip element underneath the surface of the skin; andmoving the handle such that the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin follows the desired trajectory of the incident light on the surface of the skin.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the incident light forms a marker on the surface of the skin indicating the location of the tip element underneath the skin, and wherein the method further comprises, prior to moving the handle, adjusting the handle such that the marker on the surface of the skin lies on a portion of the desired trajectory of the incident light marked on the surface of the skin.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the incident light forms an elongated line on the surface of the skin indicating the current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin, and wherein the method further comprises, prior to moving the handle, adjusting the handle such that the elongated line on the surface of the skin lies is aligned with the desired trajectory of the incident light marked on the surface of the skin.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the light emitting element is movable between a plurality of different positions, and wherein the method further comprises moving the light emitting element to one position of the plurality of positions that is associated with a current depth of the tip element underneath the skin of the patient.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein when the light emitting element is moved to the one position, the location of the incident light on the surface of the skin is indicative of the location of the tip element underneath the skin or the current trajectory of the tip element underneath the skin for only the current depth of the tip element underneath the skin of the patient.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein operating the light emitting element to emit visible light occurs before or after the tip element is positioned underneath the skin of the patient.

26. A method of preparing a surgical tool for use, the method comprising: providing the surgical tool that includes a handle, a tip element positioned at an end of the handle, and a light emitting element mounted to the handle; and operating the light emitting element to emit visible light.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the light emitting element is movable between a plurality of different positions, and wherein the method further comprises moving the light emitting element to one position of the plurality of positions that is associated with a desired depth of the tip element of the surgical tool during use.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising adjusting the light emitting element such that the visible light emitted by the light emitting element is configured to form a marker on a surface of skin of a patient during use.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising adjusting the light emitting element such that the visible light emitted by the light emitting element is configured to form an elongated line on a surface of skin of a patient during use.

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