Surgical scalpel and system particularly for use in a transverse carpal ligament surgical procedure

A surgical method comprising:

• defining a tissue capture area between a first prong and a second prong of a body of an instrument;
• transmitting an evaluation signal into the tissue capture area using a signal transmitter of the instrument located on the first prong;
• receiving the transmitted evaluation signal with a signal receiver located on the second prong;
• evaluating an incision path through a target tissue in the tissue capture area while a flat cutting member with a sharpened edge is located completely within a channel fixedly formed in the body, the channel open on one side thereof to the tissue capture area;
• and
• moving the flat cutting member within said channel to retractably extend the flat cutting member into the tissue capture area.

A surgical method comprising:

• defining a fixed tissue capture area between a first member fixedly extending from a body and a second member fixedly extending from the body and spaced apart from the first member;
• transmitting an evaluation signal into the tissue capture area with at least one signal transmitter located on the first member;
• receiving the transmitted evaluation signal with at least one signal receiver located on the second member;
• evaluating the received evaluation signal to determine a nature of tissue within an incision path with circuitry coupled to the at least one signal transmitter and the at least one signal receiver;
• and
• moving a flat cutting member with a sharpened edge within a channel formed in the body and opening to the tissue capture area along the incision path within the tissue capture area.