Light carrier and illumination system for a surgical tube

An illumination system for engaging a surgical tube and directing light from a light source through the surgical tube to illuminate a medical procedure being performed through the surgical tube, said system comprising:

• a light carrier including a light inlet section composed of a light conducting material, an intermediate section unitarily and communicably connected to said inlet section and composed of said light conducting material for transmitting light from said inlet section therethrough, and a laterally concave channel section unitarily and communicably interconnected to and extending distally from said intermediate section, said channel section being composed of said light conducting material and including a light projecting outer surface portion;
• and
• an interface for communicably interconnecting said light inlet section to a source of light, which said interface includes a tubular coupler having a flat slot that receives said inlet section and an opening for receiving a light discharge outlet of a fiberoptic cable communicably connected to the light source;
• said fiberoptic cable carrying an annular spring that interengages a circumferential interior groove in said tubular coupler to secure said light carrier to said cable with said inlet section of said light carrier abutting said light discharge outlet of said cable
• said channel section being insertable into the surgical tube such that light from said light source is transmitted through said interface and said light carrier, projected from said channel section and directed through the surgical tube to illuminate the surgical procedure being performed.

An illuminated surgical tube assembly for use in a surgical or medical procedure, said assembly comprising:

• a surgical tube having open upper and lower ends and an interior passageway that interconnects said open upper and lower ends, said interior passageway having an interior diameter;
• a light carrier including a flat light inlet section composed of a light conducting material, a flat intermediate section unitarily and communicably connected to said inlet section and composed of said light conducting material for transmitting light from said inlet section therethrough, and a laterally resilient and compressible channel section unitarily and communicably interconnected to and extending distally from said intermediate section, said channel section being composed of said light conducting material and including a light projecting outer surface portion;
• said channel section having a lateral width that is greater than said interior diameter of said interior passageway of said tube;
• and
• an interface that communicably interconnects said light inlet section to a source of light, which said interface includes a round to flat tubular coupler having a round opening for receiving and communicably connecting to a round light discharge outlet of said source of light and a flat slot that communicates with said round opening for receiving and communicably connecting to said flat inlet section and at least a portion of said flat intermediate section of said light carrier;
• said channel section being laterally compressed and inserted into said surgical tube wherein said wherein said channel section is urged diametrically outwardly by a spring bias of said channel section to engage an interior wall of said interior passageway such that said light carrier is held at a selected position within said surgical tube and such that light from said light source is transmitted through said interface and said light carrier, projected from said channel section and directed through the surgical tube to illuminate the surgical procedure being performed.