A surgical illumination device includes a LED with a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a heat transfer pad. A flexible circuit has first and second electrically conductive traces extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof. The first conductive trace is electrically interconnected with the positive terminal, the second conductive trace is electrically interconnected with the negative terminal, and a heat transfer window on the flexible circuit is aligned with the heat transfer pad. The illumination device includes a heat sink having a distal end with a distal end face. A thermally conductive adhesive pad is disposed between the LED and the distal end face of the heat sink. The thermally conductive adhesive pad is aligned with the heat transfer window of the flexible circuit and the heat transfer pad of the LED base.