Retractor

1. An illuminated surgical retractor, comprising:

a blade portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, and having a proximal end and a distal end, said blade portion comprising an operative portion at the distal end, a saddle portion at the proximal end, and a barrel portion connecting said operative portion and said saddle portion;

a handle portion integrally formed with the blade portion and extending from said saddle portion; and

an illumination assembly comprising at least one light source at the distal end of the blade, a switch connected to said at least one light source by one or more wires, and at least one power source,

wherein said switch is contained within an end cap assembly that comprises electrical connections and said switch performs at least one of light switching and activation of smoke evacuation,

wherein:

the handle portion is hollow and the end cap assembly is partially inserted into an opening in a distal end of the handle portion,

the at least one power source is at least partially inserted into the end cap assembly and is retained inside the handle portion by the end cap assembly, and

the end cap assembly includes a cover covering the opening in the distal end of the handle portion, the cover including a smoke evacuation fitting configured to connect to a suction source.

2. A retractor as in claim 1 , wherein said at least one power source is a single use battery held by a first side of the end cap assembly.

3. A retractor as in claim 1 , wherein said end cap assembly comprises a switch tab on a second side facing away from said handle portion.

4. A retractor as in claim 1 , wherein said end cap assembly comprises a smoke evacuation fitting on a second side facing away from said handle portion.

5. A retractor as in claim 1 , wherein the barrel portion defines an illuminated viewing slot.

6. A retractor as in claim 1 , wherein the operative portion is angled downwardly away from the barrel portion.

7. A retractor as in claim 1 , further comprising a smoke evacuation channel.

8. A retractor as in claim 7 , further comprising a cover for said smoke evacuation channel.

9. A retractor as in claim 7 , wherein said smoke evacuation channel is configured to contain at least a portion of said light source.

10. A retractor as in claim 7 , wherein said smoke evacuation channel is configured to contain at least a portion of said illumination assembly.

11. A retractor as in claim 7 , wherein said smoke evacuation channel extends at least from said distal end of said blade portion to said handle portion.

12. A retractor as in claim 1 , wherein said retractor withstands at least 40 lbs of pressure on the distal end of the blade portion.

13. A retractor as in claim 1 , wherein blade and handle portions are constructed of glass fiber reinforced polyarylamide.

14. The retractor of claim 1 , wherein the handle portion has sidewalls connecting the proximal end of the handle portion and the distal end of the handle portion.

15. The illuminated surgical retractor in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the end cap assembly comprises one or more internal supports for holding the at least one power source.

16. An illuminated surgical retractor, comprising:

a blade having a solid construction and including a proximal end and a distal end, said blade comprising an operative portion at the distal end;

a handle integrally formed with the blade and extending from the proximal end of the blade;

an illumination assembly comprising at least one light source at the distal end of the blade, and at least one power source for supplying energy to the at least one light source; and

an end cap assembly being partially inserted into an opening in the handle,

wherein the handle is hollow and the at least one power source is at least partially inserted into the end cap assembly and is held within the handle by the end-cap assembly, and

wherein the end cap assembly includes a cover covering the opening in the handle, the cover including a smoke evacuation fitting configured to connect to a suction source.

17. The illuminated surgical retractor in accordance with claim 16 , further comprising a switch for performing at least one of light switching and activation of smoke evacuation, wherein the switch is provided in the end cap assembly.

18. The illuminated surgical retractor in accordance with claim 17 , further comprising electrical connections provided in the end cap assembly for electrically connecting the at least one power source with the switch.

19. The illuminated surgical retractor in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the handle has sidewalls connecting the proximal end of the handle portion and the distal end of the handle and the opening is formed at a distal end of the handle.

20. The illuminated surgical retractor in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the end cap assembly comprises one or more internal supports for holding the at least one power source.

21. An illuminated surgical retractor, comprising:

a blade having a solid construction and including a proximal end and a distal end, said blade comprising an operative portion at the distal end;

a handle integrally formed with the blade and extending from the proximal end of the blade;

an illumination assembly comprising at least one light source at the distal end of the blade;

a switch performing at least one of light switching and activation of smoke evacuation; and

an end cap assembly being partially inserted into an opening in a distal end of the handle,

wherein the handle is hollow, the end cap assembly is configured to have at least one power source at least partially inserted therein, and the switch is provided in the end cap assembly, and

wherein the end cap assembly includes a cover covering the opening in the distal end of the handle, the cover including a smoke evacuation fitting configured to connect to a suction source.

22. The illuminated surgical retractor in accordance with claim 21 , wherein the switch controls activation of the vacuum source.

23. The illuminated surgical retractor in accordance with claim 21 , wherein at least one power source is retained inside the handle by the end cap assembly.

24. The illuminated surgical retractor in accordance with claim 21 , wherein the end cap assembly comprises one or more internal supports for holding the at least one power source.