A cannula incorporating a blood wicking/diversion mechanism to absorb and/or obstruct blood from running down the cannula onto an endoscope inserted therein, and/or the procedure site, thereby obfuscating the field-of-view during a thoracic procedure. In an embodiment the device comprises an elongate woven fabric wick contained within an open-faced lumen molded into the bottom wall of the cannula tubular body and running along its length to absorb blood or fluid running down its length. In another embodiment the wick is formed in a sleeve-like configuration slightly larger in diameter than tubular body (configured for slidable insertion thereon) woven back into a string at the distal end. Alternatively the device comprises an expandable dome-shaped hood attached to the cannula.