Patent ID: 8870761

Claim:
A hand held illuminated suction device, said device comprising: a suction tube having an inner surface, and outer surface, a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the proximal portion is configured to be fluidly coupled to a vacuum source, and wherein the distal portion is configured to remove fluid or debris from a surgical field; a non-fiber optic optical waveguide having a proximal region and distal region, wherein the optical waveguide is disposed over the outer surface of the suction tube, and wherein light is transmitted from the proximal region of the optical waveguide toward the distal region thereof by total internal reflection, and wherein the light is emitted from the distal region of the optical waveguide and directed distally to illuminate the surgical field; and one or more standoffs coupled to either the suction tube or the optical waveguide, wherein the standoffs prevent engagement between a portion of the suction tube with a portion of the optical waveguide thereby maintaining an air gap therebetween, the air gap facilitating total internal reflection of the light through the optical waveguide.