Patent ID: 8795162

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 an outer surface, a proximal region and a 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; optical cladding disposed over the outer surface of the optical waveguide, the optical cladding preventing or minimizing contact between the optical waveguide and the fluid, the debris, or tissue in the surgical field, and wherein the optical cladding promotes total internal reflection of the light transmitted through the optical waveguide; and one or more standoffs disposed between the optical waveguide and the suction tube, wherein the one or more 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.