Patent ID: 8267855

Claim:
An illuminated medical instrument comprising: an insertion portion for insertion into a body opening and defining an elongate passageway, the passageway extending along a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end; an obturator for fitment into the passageway; and a light emitting structure terminating at a distal end, the distal end of the light emitting structure being located within the passageway and arranged to direct light out of the distal end of the passageway into the body opening; wherein the obturator is movable in the passageway between a first position within the passageway and a second position proximal of the first position and is provided with a shielding structure that is constructed and arranged to slide longitudinally over the distal end of the light emitting structure as the obturator is advanced longitudinally in the passageway from its second position to its first position and then to move transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis so that, in the first position of the obturator, the shielding structure at least substantially covers the distal end of the light emitting structure when viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis from the distal end of the passageway.