Soft tissue cutting device and methods of use

A device for cutting a transverse carpal ligament in a carpal tunnel region of a patient's hand, the device comprising:

• a handle comprising a slider button;
• a shaft extending from the handle and forming a longitudinal axis;
• a shaft opening extending longitudinally along a top surface of the shaft;
• a blade disposed in the shaft such that the blade moves along the longitudinal axis of the shaft in a proximal direction toward the handle and out of the shaft opening to cut the transverse carpal ligament, the blade comprising;
• a blade shaft coupled with the slider button;
• and
• a working end comprising a cutting edge that faces proximally toward the handle, wherein the blade shaft and the blade working end are one piece;
• at least one balloon coupled with the shaft for preventing the blade from cutting tissues other than the transverse carpal ligament;
• a conduit in the shaft for delivering inflation fluid to the at least one balloon, wherein the conduit is configured to couple with an inflation device that is coupled with the handle;
• a blade guideway in the shaft;
• and
• at least one pin extending laterally from opposite sides of at least one of the blade working end or the blade shaft,
• wherein the blade is configured to move along the blade guideway from a first inactive position in which the cutting edge of the blade is housed in a distal portion of the shaft to a cutting position in which the cutting edge is exposed through the shaft opening to a second inactive position in which the cutting edge is housed within a proximal portion of the shaft.