The saw, chisel and drill are tried-and-true tools in bone surgery. In the future, lasers could be added to this toolbox, especially when it comes to very precise cuts. Lasers do not exert any mechanical pressure, meaning they can reduce the risk of microcracks and enable more specialized cuts. This would make it easier to insert joint implants, for example, including custom-made, 3D-printed implants.

Lasers are already used for soft tissue. In the case of bone, however, cuts were previously only possible up to a depth of two to three centimeters, far too shallow for joint implants, for example. One reason for the insufficient cutting performance is the shape of the laser beam.