[neva30 (OP)]

Hi,
With the advent of laser scalpels in surgery I wondered whether the following device would be workable or desirable.
A sensor built into the scalpel would detect how much of the light is reflected and refracted from the tissue, and use that to determine the type of tissue it is shining on.
If the laser shines onto a tissue type that the doctor doesn't want damaged, say a vein or artery, then the scalpel would kill the laser and stop cutting.
Perhaps this already exists or is a stupid idea - just wondered what people thought?
Thanks.

[CliffordK]

Hmmm,
Interesting idea.

Certainly some smaller veins and arteries are sacrificed in surgeries, but one might be able to steer away from the larger ones. 

My guess is that such a device would end up shutting itself off too frequently and would end up being frustrating to use.

Perhaps someday we'll have robotic assisted arthroscopic surgery which may utilize fine tissue type recognition.