An illumination and multi-spot laser multiplexing system comprising: a laser source that emits a collimated laser light beam; a diffractive optical element, DOE, configured to receive the collimated laser light beam and to create a multi-spot pattern of laser light beams and an illumination system that emits illumination light; a collimating lens that collimates the illumination light received from the illumination system into an illumination light beam; a multi-core optical fiber cable; a fiber optic cable port configured to couple with the multi-core optical fiber cable; a condensing lens; and a beamsplitter configured to reflect the multi-spot pattern of laser light beams towards the condensing lens and to transmit the illumination light beam from the collimating lens towards the condensing lens, thereby multiplexing the multi-spot pattern of laser light beams and the illumination light beam, wherein the condensing lens is configured to focus the multiplexed multi-spot pattern of laser light beams and the illumination light beam onto an interface with the fiber optic cable port; wherein the condensing lens is configured to focus the multiplexed multi-spot pattern of laser light beams and the illumination light beam onto an interface of a proximal end of the multi-core optical fiber cable such that the illumination light beam is propagated down an entire length of a first outer core of the multi-core optical fiber cable and such that each of the laser light beams in the multi-spot pattern of laser light beams propagates down an entire length of one of a plurality of inner cores contained within the outer core. a laser source that emits a collimated laser light beam; a diffractive optical element, DOE, configured to receive the collimated laser light beam and to create a multi-spot pattern of laser light beams and an illumination system that emits illumination light; a collimating lens that collimates the illumination light received from the illumination system into an illumination light beam; a multi-core optical fiber cable; a fiber optic cable port configured to couple with the multi-core optical fiber cable; a condensing lens; and a beamsplitter configured to reflect the multi-spot pattern of laser light beams towards the condensing lens and to transmit the illumination light beam from the collimating lens towards the condensing lens, thereby multiplexing the multi-spot pattern of laser light beams and the illumination light beam, wherein the condensing lens is configured to focus the multiplexed multi-spot pattern of laser light beams and the illumination light beam onto an interface with the fiber optic cable port; wherein the condensing lens is configured to focus the multiplexed multi-spot pattern of laser light beams and the illumination light beam onto an interface of a proximal end of the multi-core optical fiber cable such that the illumination light beam is propagated down an entire length of a first outer core of the multi-core optical fiber cable and such that each of the laser light beams in the multi-spot pattern of laser light beams propagates down an entire length of one of a plurality of inner cores contained within the outer core.