METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ILLUMINATION DURING PHLEBECTOMY PROCEDURES

1 . A method, comprising:

illuminating a blood vessel in a relatively low-light surgical field by inserting a subcutaneous light source into tissue near the blood vessel and to a first location in the tissue underlying the blood vessel, and causing emission of light from the subcutaneous light source while the subcutaneous light source is at the first location, so that light from the subcutaneous light source passes through the tissue near the blood vessel, toward an observer;

drawing a portion of the tissue near the blood vessel through an incision in the skin; and

illuminating the drawn portion of tissue by activating an external light source in a hands-free manner, thereby facilitating determining whether the drawn tissue is the blood vessel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the blood vessel is a vein.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the blood vessel is a varicose vein.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the blood vessel is a superficial leg vein.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the surgical field is an area at least about 20 cm wide and centered on the subcutaneous light source insertion site, extending at least about 20 cm from the skin surface at the subcutaneous light source insertion site toward the surgeon.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to drawing the portion of tissue near the blood vessel, selecting the portion of the tissue based on observing the tissue illuminated by the subcutaneous light source.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the external light source is worn on the surgeon's head.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the external light source is activated by a movement of the head.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the external light source is activated by a nod of the head.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the external light source is activated without use of the hands or feet.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the external light source is activated by the surgeon himself or herself without commanding another person to activate an external light source.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the external light source provides broadband or white light in a floodlight fashion in the surgical field.

13 . A surgical illumination system, comprising:

a subcutaneous illuminator having an elongate member configured for insertion into subcutaneous tissue, the elongate member having a light emitter near its distal end, the light emitter being configured to emit light primarily in a generally radial direction, outward and away from a longitudinal axis of the elongate member; and

an external illuminator configured to illuminate a surgical field in a floodlight fashion, the external illuminator being configured for activation without use of the hands.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the external illuminator is configured to be worn on the surgeon's head.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the external illuminator is configured to be activated by a movement of the head.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the external illuminator is configured to be activated by a nod of the head.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the external illuminator includes an inertial switch or accelerometer to facilitate activation by a movement of the head.

18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the external illuminator is configured to be activated without use of the hands or feet.

19 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the external illuminator is configured to be activated by the surgeon himself or herself without commanding another person to activate an external illuminator.

20 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the external illuminator provides broadband or white light in a floodlight fashion in the surgical field.