A single use, disposable, vaginal speculum uses a chemically florescent light tube to provide built-in illumination for the body cavity being examined with the speculum. An integrally molded light tube holder has two opposing walls between which the light tube is inserted. Ridges on the inner surfaces of the opposing walls serve to guide the light tube into position in the speculum and to firmly grasp the light tube so as to prevent dislodgement during the examination. An integral stop member is molded into the light tube holder to terminate the insertion of the light tube into the holder in precisely the position required to properly position the light tube.

An instrument for vaginal inspection or exploration consists of separate speculum and depressor components, each molded from plastic material. The handles of the components are adapted to be releasably interfitted in a dovetail manner to form a unitary handle, with the handles being longitudinally slidable relative to each other to adjust the separation between the speculum and depressor blades. The dovetail arrangement includes toothed locking flanges on the depressor handle which releasably cooperate with teeth on the sides of the speculum handle. By depressing a transverse web portion or button, the flanges are flexed apart to allow longitudinal adjustment between the handles, using one hand only. The depressor handle includes an intermediate member connected to the depressor blade. This intermediate member is of an arcuate, laterally offset configuration so as to provide unobstructed access to the space between the blades in the longitudinal direction of the blades.

A speculum comprises a pair of elongated blades having elongated hollow bills therein. Each bill is at least partly covered by a flexible expandable bladder. One or more ports communicate between the interior of each bill and the interior of the bladder. Gas lines are connected to each bill for supplying compressed gas to a valve to each bill to expand each bladder. A second valve can be activated for deflating each bladder. For use, the speculum blades are inserted into a body cavity and the bladders inflated to gently expand the body cavity. Blades can then be moved apart to perform an examination. When the examination is completed, the blades are moved toward each other and the bladders are deflated before the blades are withdrawn from the body cavity.

A speculum provides visual access to a body cavity, and such instrument is used by physicians for vaginal examination. The speculum comprises a handle having a frontal portion and a rear portion slidingly secured to the frontal portion. A blade angle positioner is pivotally connected by a pivot connection in a top end portion of the handle rear portion, whereby to angulate a top blade removably secured to a top blade connector anchor at a forward projecting end of the blade angle positioner. The handle frontal portion has a bottom blade connector anchor in a top forward end portion thereof. The top and bottom blades each have a connecting end provided with clamp connectors for removable engagement with a respective one of the top and bottom blade connector anchors. The blade angle positioner arrests the handle rear portion at a desired selected position by transfering a biasing force applied onto the blades when inserted into a body cavity and the blade connected to the blade angle positioner is in tension with cavity walls.

A medical instrument for expanding a cavity within a body to perform obstetrical and gynecological examinations and procedures, which includes a handle and pluralities of blades. One plurality of blades includes adjustable longitudinal blades for expanding the vaginal cavity in a vertical direction, and these blades are mounted upon the handle. Another plurality of blades includes adjustable latitudinal blades for expanding the vaginal cavity in a horizontal direction, and these blades are also mounted upon the handle.