Soft tissue cutting device and methods of use

1. A soft tissue cutting device, comprising:

(a) a shaft having a top surface, two side surfaces and a bottom surface, wherein the shaft extends along a longitudinal axis;

(b) a shaft opening that extends for a distance along the longitudinal axis and extends longitudinally along the top surface of the shaft;

(c) a blade that extends through and withdraws from the shaft opening, the blade having a top cutting edge that extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis; and

(d) one or more balloons coupled to the shaft that expand radially outwardly from the shaft,

wherein the top cutting edge is housed within the shaft when the soft tissue cutting device is in an inactive position, and the top cutting edge extends upwardly through the shaft opening when the soft tissue cutting device is in an active position,

wherein the blade is coupled to a blade elevator balloon, wherein the blade elevator balloon inflates to extend the top cutting edge upward through the shaft opening and deflates to retract the top cutting edge downward through the shaft opening, and

wherein the blade elevator balloon is configured to receive gas or fluid for inflating the blade elevator balloon so as to extend the top cutting edge upward through the shaft opening.

2. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the one or more balloons includes a lateral balloon that expands radially outwardly from one of the two side surfaces.

3. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the one or more balloons includes a dorsal balloon that expands radially outwardly from the bottom surface.

4. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the one or more balloons includes a first lateral balloon that expands radially outwardly from one of the two side surfaces, a second lateral balloon that expands radially outwardly from another of the two side surfaces, and a dorsal balloon that expands radially outwardly from the bottom surface.

5. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the soft tissue cutting device includes a proximal end configured as a single-hand handpiece including one or more controls for activating movement of the blade and inflation and deflation of the one or more balloons, wherein the one or more controls are configured to be activated using a single hand.

6. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the top surface includes a plurality of suction openings.

7. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the soft-tissue cutting device is a transverse carpal ligament cutting device.

8. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the blade elevator balloon is configured to provide uniform elevation of the blade along a longitudinal extent of the blade.

9. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the blade is connected directly to the blade elevator balloon.

10. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein an amount of inflation of the blade elevator balloon is variable.

11. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes a conduit configured to deliver the gas or fluid to the blade elevator balloon and remove the gas or fluid from the blade elevator balloon.

12. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 11 further comprising a conduit configured to deliver and remove gas or fluid from the one or more balloons.

13. The soft tissue cutting device of claim 1 wherein the shaft further includes a blade base plate that attaches to the blade and is configured to support the blade, wherein the blade elevator balloon is positioned beneath the blade base plate.

14. A transverse carpal ligament cutting device, comprising:

(a) a shaft having a top surface, two side surfaces and a bottom surface;

(b) a shaft opening that extends for a distance along the top surface of the shaft;

(c) a blade having a top cutting edge; and

(d) one or more balloons coupled to the shaft that expand radially outwardly from the shaft;

wherein the top cutting edge is housed within the shaft and the one or more balloons are deflated when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in an inactive position and wherein the top cutting edge extends upwardly through the shaft opening and the one or more balloons are inflated when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in an active position,

wherein the blade is coupled to a blade elevator balloon, wherein the blade elevator balloon inflates to extend the top cutting edge upward through the shaft opening and deflates to retract the top cutting edge downward through the shaft opening, and

wherein the blade elevator balloon is configured to receive gas or fluid for inflating the blade elevator balloon so as to extend the top cutting edge upward through the shaft opening.

15. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of suction openings along the top surface.

16. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 wherein the one or more balloons includes a lateral balloon that expands radially outwardly from one of the two side surfaces.

17. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 wherein the one or more balloons includes a dorsal balloon that expands radially outwardly from the bottom surface.

18. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 wherein the one or more balloons includes a first lateral balloon that expands radially outwardly from one of the two side surfaces, a second lateral balloon that expands radially outwardly from another of the two side surfaces, and a dorsal balloon that expands radially outwardly from the bottom surface.

19. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 wherein the transverse carpal ligament cutting device includes a proximal end configured as a single-hand handpiece including one or more controls for activating movement of the blade and inflation and deflation of the one or more balloons, wherein the one or more controls are configured to be activated using a single hand.

20. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 wherein the blade elevator balloon is configured to provide uniform elevation of the blade along a longitudinal extent of the blade.

21. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 wherein the blade is connected directly to the blade elevator balloon.

22. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 wherein an amount of inflation of the blade elevator balloon is variable.

23. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 wherein the shaft includes a conduit configured to deliver the gas or fluid to the blade elevator balloon and remove the gas or fluid from the blade elevator balloon.

24. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 23 further comprising a conduit configured to deliver and remove gas or fluid from the one or more balloons.

25. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 14 wherein the shaft further includes a blade base plate that attaches to the blade and is configured to support the blade, wherein the blade elevator balloon is positioned beneath the blade base plate.

26. A transverse carpal ligament cutting device, comprising:

(a) a shaft having a top surface, two side surfaces and a bottom surface;

(b) a shaft opening that extends for a distance along the top surface and the two side surfaces of the shaft;

(c) a blade having a cutting edge; and

(d) one or more balloons coupled to the shaft that expand radially outwardly from the shaft;

wherein the cutting edge is housed within the shaft and the one or more balloons are deflated when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in an inactive position, and wherein the cutting edge extends through the shaft opening and the one or more balloons are inflated when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in an active position;

wherein the blade is coupled to a blade elevator balloon, wherein the blade elevator balloon inflates to extend the cutting edge upward through the shaft opening and deflates to retract the cutting edge downward through the shaft opening, and

wherein the blade elevator balloon is configured to receive gas or fluid for inflating the blade elevator balloon so as to extend the cutting edge upward through the shaft opening.

27. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 wherein the one or more balloons includes a lateral balloon that expands radially outwardly from one of the two side surfaces.

28. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 wherein the one or more balloons includes a dorsal balloon that expands radially outwardly from the bottom surface.

29. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 wherein the one or more balloons includes a first lateral balloon that expands radially outwardly from one of the two side surfaces, a second lateral balloon that expands radially outwardly from another of the two side surfaces, and a dorsal balloon that expands radially outwardly from the bottom surface.

30. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 wherein the transverse carpal ligament cutting device includes a proximal end configured as a single-hand handpiece including one or more controls for activating movement of the blade and inflation and deflation of the one or more balloons, wherein the one or more controls are configured to be activated using a single hand.

31. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 wherein the blade elevator balloon is configured to provide uniform elevation of the blade along a longitudinal extent of the blade.

32. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 wherein the blade is connected directly to the blade elevator balloon.

33. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 wherein an amount of inflation of the blade elevator balloon is variable.

34. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 wherein the shaft includes a conduit configured to deliver the gas or fluid to the blade elevator balloon and remove the gas or fluid from the blade elevator balloon.

35. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 34 further comprising a conduit configured to deliver and remove gas or fluid from the one or more balloons.

36. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 wherein the shaft further includes a blade base plate that attaches to the blade and is configured to support the blade, wherein the blade elevator balloon is positioned beneath the blade base plate.

37. The transverse carpal ligament cutting device of claim 26 further comprising a plurality of suction openings along the top surface of the shaft.

38. A soft tissue cutting method, comprising steps of:

providing a soft tissue cutting device comprising:

(a) a shaft having a top surface, two side surfaces and a bottom surface, wherein the shaft extends along a longitudinal axis;

(b) a shaft opening that extends for a distance along the longitudinal axis and extends longitudinally along the top surface of the shaft;

(c) a blade that extends through and withdraws from the shaft opening, the blade having a top cutting edge that extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the top cutting edge is housed within the shaft when the soft tissue cutting device is in an inactive position, and the top cutting edge extends upwardly through the shaft opening when the soft tissue cutting device is in an active position;

(d) one or more balloons coupled to the shaft that expand radially outward from the shaft; and

(e) a blade elevator balloon, the blade being coupled to the blade elevator balloon, wherein the blade elevator balloon inflates to extend the top cutting edge upward through the shaft opening and deflates to retract the top cutting edge downward through the shaft opening;

advancing the soft tissue cutting device to a body region;

expanding the one or more balloons radially outwardly; and

providing gas or fluid to the blade elevator balloon to inflate the blade elevator balloon and extend the top cutting edge upward through the shaft opening to cut soft tissue in the body region.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the soft tissue cutting device further comprises a plurality of suction openings along the top surface of the shaft, wherein the method further comprises applying suction to the suction openings to suck air through the suction openings so as to cause the soft tissue to move closer to the shaft.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the soft tissue cutting device further comprises one or more controls, the method further comprising:

activating one of the one or more controls to cause the one or more balloons to inflate; and

subsequently activating one of the one or more controls to cause the blade elevator balloon to expand.

41. A method of cutting a transverse carpal ligament, comprising steps of:

providing a transverse carpal ligament cutting device having an inactive position and an active position, the transverse carpal ligament cutting device comprising:

(a) a shaft having a top surface, two side surfaces, and a bottom surface;

(b) a shaft opening that extends for a distance along the top surface of the shaft;

(c) a blade having a top cutting edge;

(d) one or more balloons coupled to the shaft that expand radially outwardly from the shaft, wherein the top cutting edge is housed within the shaft and the one or more balloons are deflated when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the inactive position, and wherein the top cutting edge extends upwardly through the shaft opening and the one or more balloons are inflated when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the active position, wherein when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the inactive position the blade is unexposed and the one or more balloons are deflated, and wherein when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the active position the blade is exposed and the one or more balloons are inflated; and

(e) a blade elevator balloon, the blade being coupled to the blade elevator balloon, wherein the blade elevator balloon inflates to extend the top cutting edge upward through the shaft opening and deflates to retract the top cutting edge downward through the shaft opening;

advancing the transverse carpal ligament cutting device to a carpal tunnel region while the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the inactive position; and

providing gas or fluid to the blade elevator balloon to inflate the blade elevator balloon and extend the top cutting edge upward through the shaft opening; and

cutting the transverse carpal ligament while the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the active position.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the transverse carpal ligament cutting device further comprises a plurality of suction openings along the top surface of the shaft, wherein the method further comprises applying suction to the suction openings to suck air through the suction openings so as to cause the transverse carpal ligament to move closer to the shaft.

43. A method of cutting a transverse carpal ligament, comprising steps of:

providing a transverse carpal ligament cutting device having an inactive position and an active position, the transverse carpal ligament cutting device comprising:

(a) a shaft having a top surface, two side surfaces and a bottom surface;

(b) a shaft opening that extends for a distance along the top surface and the two side surfaces of the shaft;

(c) a blade having a cutting edge;

(d) one or more balloons coupled to the shaft that expand radially outwardly from the shaft, wherein the cutting edge is housed within the shaft and the one or more balloons are deflated when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the inactive position, and wherein the cutting edge extends through the shaft opening and the one or more balloons are inflated when the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the active position; and

(e) a blade elevator balloon, the blade being coupled to the blade elevator balloon, wherein the blade elevator balloon inflates to extend the cutting edge upward through the shaft opening and deflates to retract the cutting edge downward through the shaft opening;

advancing the transverse carpal ligament cutting device to a carpal tunnel region while the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the inactive position;

providing gas or fluid to the blade elevator balloon to inflate the blade elevator balloon and extend the top cutting edge upward through the shaft opening; and

cutting the transverse carpal ligament while the transverse carpal ligament cutting device is in the active position.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the transverse carpal ligament cutting device further comprises a plurality of suction openings along the top surface of the shaft, wherein the method further comprises applying suction to the suction openings to suck air through the suction openings so as to cause the transverse carpal ligament to move closer to the shaft.