Retinaculatome and a method of transecting a flexor retinaculum in a carpal tunnel release surgery using the retinaculatome

1 . A method of transecting a flexor retinaculum in a carpal tunnel release surgery using a retinaculatome, the method comprising:

inserting a borescope into a sleeve interior cavity of a sterile borescope sleeve of the retinaculatome, the sterile borescope sleeve comprising a sleeve exterior shell that is sealed along its length and sealed at a sleeve distal end, wherein the sleeve distal end has an incision imaging window transparent to the sleeve interior cavity;

positioning a surgical blade in a mounted blade position defined by a surgical blade mount connected to a lower guide plate extending from the sleeve distal end, the mounted blade position overlying the lower guide plate;

positioning the retinaculatome within a surgical incision such that the lower guide plate defines a horizontal surgical travel direction; and

transecting the flexor retinaculum by advancing the surgical blade along the horizontal surgical travel direction while viewing through the incision imaging window using the borescope.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the borescope is non-sterile.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing of the sterile borescope sleeve after the carpal tunnel release surgery while retaining the borescope for reuse.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the borescope is a wireless borescope and a sleeve proximal end is closed after insertion of the borescope.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the borescope includes a non-sterile borescope cable and the method further comprises connecting an extension sheath at a proximal end of the sterile borescope sleeve to enclose a distal portion of the non-sterile borescope cable.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the borescope is positioned within the sleeve interior cavity to have a downward viewing angle of 0-45° relative to the horizontal surgical travel direction.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising shielding the mounted blade position using a tissue shield extending from the sleeve distal end and vertically spaced above the lower guide plate.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the tissue shield is dome-shaped.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein a distal end of the tissue shield is arcuate.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein a tissue shield width is substantially constant between a tissue shield proximal end and a tissue shield distal end.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein a tissue shield width decreases gradually between a tissue shield proximal end and a tissue shield distal end.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve exterior shell is substantially transparent.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexor retinaculum is transected using a fixed and straight cutting edge of the surgical blade.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexor retinaculum is transected using a fixed and curved cutting edge of the surgical blade.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexor retinaculum is transected using a scissor-type cutting action.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the lower guide plate is arcuate.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a lower guide plate width is substantially constant between a lower guide plate proximal end and a lower guide plate distal end.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a lower guide plate width decreases gradually between a lower guide plate proximal end and a lower guide plate distal end.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a sleeve length between a sleeve proximal end and the sleeve distal end is at least 3 cm.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve exterior shell comprises plastic, metal and/or glass material that is sterile.