Illuminated medical devices

1. A medical device comprising:

a blade portion;

a handle portion extending at an angle from a proximal end of the blade portion; and

an illumination assembly having one or more light sources mounted on a flexible circuit board,

wherein the flexible circuit board comprises a flexible substrate and a metallic layer formed thereon, said metallic layer forming electrical contact paths and being configured to dissipate heat generated by the one or more light sources;

wherein the metallic layer is provided on a first surface of the flexible substrate and the flexible circuit board further comprises a second metallic layer provided on an opposing second surface of the flexible substrate, the second metallic layer forming further electrical contact paths and being configured to dissipate heat generated by the one or more light sources.

2. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein each of the metallic layer and the second metallic layer comprises a copper layer having a thickness of at least 70 μm.

3. A medical device comprising:

a blade portion;

a handle portion extending at an angle from a proximal end of the blade portion; and

an illumination assembly having one or more light sources mounted on a flexible circuit board,

wherein the flexible circuit board comprises a flexible substrate and a metallic layer formed thereon, said metallic layer forming electrical contact paths and being configured to dissipate heat generated by the one or more light sources,

wherein the flexible substrate includes lateral wings extending laterally from each side of the flexible substrate along predetermined portions of the length of the flexible substrate and wherein the predetermined portions of the length of the flexible substrate do not include light sources mounted thereon.

4. A surgical retractor, comprising:

a handle and a blade extending from the handle;

an illumination assembly having one or more light sources provided on the blade; and

at least one smoke evacuation channel configured to fluidly communicate with a suction source,

wherein the illumination assembly is configured to adjust the location of light emitted from the one or more light sources along the blade;

wherein the at least one smoke evacuation channel extends along at least a portion of the blade and is integrated into the illumination assembly, and

wherein the illumination assembly comprises a flexible circuit board having the one or more light sources mounted thereon, and wherein the at least one smoke evacuation channel overlaps with a portion of the flexible circuit board.

5. A surgical retractor, comprising:

a handle and a blade extending from the handle;

an illumination assembly having one or more light sources provided on the blade; and

at least one smoke evacuation channel configured to fluidly communicate with a suction source,

wherein the illumination assembly is configured to adjust the location of light emitted from the one or more light sources along the blade,

wherein the at least one smoke evacuation channel extends along at least a portion of the blade and is offset along a width of the blade from the one or more light sources.

6. The surgical retractor of claim 4 , wherein the at least one smoke evacuation channel extends along at least a portion of the blade without overlapping with the one or more light sources.

7. The surgical retractor of claim 4 , wherein the at least one smoke evacuation channel extends from the blade to a chamber formed in the handle, said chamber being configured to fluidly communicate with a suction source.

8. The surgical retractor of claim 4 , wherein the illumination assembly includes a plurality of light sources and is configured to adjust the location of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources by activating or deactivating each of the plurality of light sources.

9. The surgical retractor of claim 8 , wherein the illumination assembly is configured to control activate or deactivate each of the plurality of light sources in a predetermined sequence.

10. The surgical retractor of claim 4 , wherein the illumination assembly includes a controller for controlling the operation of the at least one of the illumination assembly and the at least one smoke evacuation channel, the controller being provided in the handle.

11. A battery-operated medical device, comprising:

a housing including handle and an operative portion, the housing being configured to house at least one power source; and

a push-tab assembly provided in the housing and including a push-tab extending through an aperture in the housing,

wherein the push-tab is configured to be moved from a first position in which the push-tab prevents flow of electricity from the at least one power source to a second position in which the flow of electricity is allowed from the at least one power source, and

wherein in the second position, the push-tab is configured to engage with the at least one power source.

12. The battery-operated medical device of claim 11 , wherein the housing includes an opening and a cover for covering the opening, and is configured to enable removal of at least one power source through the opening when the cover is operated to uncover the opening, and

wherein when the cover is operated to uncover the opening, the engagement of the push-tab with the at least one power source forces the at least one power source to be removed from the housing through the opening.

13. The battery-operated medical device of claim 11 , wherein in the first position, the push-tab is partially inserted into the aperture in the housing and in the second position, the push-tab is fully inserted into the aperture so that an outer portion of the push-tab forms a fluid-tight seal with the housing.

14. The battery-operated medical device of claim 11 , wherein:

the push-tab assembly includes a printed circuit board configured to retain the at least one power source within the housing and including an electrical contact, the electrical contact interacting with the push-tab so that when the push-tab is in the first position, the electrical contact is electrically isolated from the at least one power source and when the push-tab is in the second position, the electrical contact electrically couples with the at least one power source.

15. The battery-operated medical device in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the medical device is one of a surgical retractor and a speculum.

16. The battery-operated medical device in accordance with claim 11 , wherein in the second position, the push-tab is configured to seal the aperture in the housing.