Endoscopic surgical blade and method of use thereof

A method for performing a uniportal endoscopic surgical procedure in a subject, comprising:

• establishing an entry portal for a target tissue;
• inserting a knife tube into the entry portal and advancing the knife tube to the target tissue,
• wherein the knife tube comprises an open proximal end, and an open distal end;
• inserting an endoscope into the knife tube of an endoscopic knife assembly, the endoscopic knife assembly comprising a low-profile blade,
• wherein the low-profile blade comprises a proximal end, a distal end, an upper edge, a lower edge, a cutting surface having a top end and a bottom end, a non-cutting radiused surface at the top end of the cutting surface and a non-cutting radiused surface at a trailing edge on the upper edge of the blade, wherein the cutting surface is located at the distal end of the blade and is angled downward so that the top end of the cutting surface is forward of the bottom end of the cutting surface, wherein the lower edge extends from the proximal end of the low-profile blade and terminates at the bottom end of the cutting surface, and wherein the blade is sized to fit at a tip of the endoscope and is in contact with the tube by a mounting surface on the lower edge that aligns with and positions the blade with respect to the tube;
• advancing the endoscope so that the blade moves in contact with the target tissue through a slot;
• operatively engaging the target tissue with the blade;
• and
• advancing the blade through a cannula that accommodates the knife tube to divide the target tissue.

A method for using an endoscopic surgical assembly for an endoscopic surgical procedure, comprising:

• establishing an entry portal and inserting a surgical tube of the endoscopic surgical assembly, the tube having open proximal and distal ends;
• inserting an endoscope of the endoscopic surgical assembly into the surgical tube, wherein the endoscopic surgical assembly includes a low-profile blade comprising a blade body with a cutting surface,
• wherein the cutting surface comprises a top end and a bottom end, wherein the blade body comprises a proximal end, a distal end, an upper edge, a lower edge, and a non-cutting radiused surface at the top end of the cutting surface, wherein the cutting surface is located at the distal end of the blade body and is angled downward so that the top end of the cutting surface is forward of the bottom end of the cutting surface, wherein the lower edge extends from the proximal end of the blade body and terminates at the bottom end of the cutting surface, and wherein the blade body is sized to fit at a tip of the endoscope and is in contact with the tube by a mounting surface on the lower edge that aligns with and positions the blade with respect to the surgical tube,
• advancing the blade so that it moves in contact with a target tissue;
• and
• operatively engaging the target tissue with the blade.