Methods and devices for diastolic assist

A medical device for creating elongated incisions within soft tissue, the device comprising:

• a handle comprising a handle body and an actuating member;
• a flexible shaft having a near end coupled to the handle body and a far end;
• an atraumatic tip located at the far end;
• a cutting member pivotally secured within the flexible shaft and having a cutting edge;
• a linking member coupling the actuating member of the handle to the cutting member, wherein when the actuating member applies a tensile force to the linking member, the cutting member pivots to a lateral side of the flexible shaft to expose the cutting edge and allow cutting of the soft tissue wherein the cutting member pivots about a pivot point that does not move axially relative to the shaft assembly, the tensile force also causing biasing of the far end of flexible shaft towards the lateral side to assist in maintaining the cutting edge within the soft tissue;
• and
• at least one strut that extends away from the flexible shaft on a side of the shaft opposite to the cutting member, such that the strut provides a biasing to assist in maintaining the cutting edge within the soft tissue.