An improved hand-held electrosurgical instrument includes a housing, an electrosurgical electrode, supportably interconnected to and extending from a distal end of the housing in a first direction, at least one light source supportably interconnected to the housing for emitting light in the first direction, and a light tunnel member extending away from the distal end of the housing in the first direction and defining a light tunnel therethrough for receiving and directing light emitted by the light source(s) through the light tunnel and out of a distal end of the light tunnel member. The light tunnel member yields improved tissue site illumination. The electrosurgical electrode may extend through and beyond the distal end of the light tunnel member, wherein the light tunnel extends along at least a majority of a length of the electrosurgical electrode that extends distally from the housing. The light tunnel may include an open passageway that extends proximally from the distal end of the light tunnel member for use in evacuating smoke from a tissue site. The hand-held electrosurgical instrument may include a smoke evacuation passageway fluidly interconnected to and extending proximally from the open passageway of the light tunnel, wherein smoke may be drawn in to a distal end of the open passageway, and through the open passageway and smoke evacuation passageway, to yield improved tissue site visibility and an improved working environment. The smoke evacuation passageway may be defined by a tubular member adjoined to the light tunnel member for handling as a single unit.
