Systems and methods for treatment of compressed nerves

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for releasing a ligament. In one embodiment, the system includes a proximal handle, a tubular body, and a flexible body. The tubular body includes a proximal end and a distal end. The handle is coupled to the proximal end. The flexible body extends through the tubular body and includes a tissue cutting portion. The flexible body is longitudinally displaceable relative to the tubular body to move the tissue cutting portion between a non-deployed state and a deployed state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical device for severing tissue in a minimally invasive medical procedure, the device comprising:
 a tubular body including:
 a tubular wall defining a lumen extending longitudinally through the tubular body; 
 a proximal end; 
 a distal end opposite the proximal end; and 
 a window extending through the tubular wall, the window including a length greater than a width of the window, the length of the window being generally parallel with a length of the tubular body; 
   an inner body occupying at least a portion of the lumen and including:
 a proximal end; 
 a distal end opposite the proximal end; 
 an exterior surface located between the proximal and distal ends of the inner body; and 
 a plurality of saw teeth defined in the exterior surface and fixed relative to the exterior surface; and 
   a handle coupled to the proximal end of the tubular body, the handle including an actuator coupled to the proximal end of the inner body and configured to displace the inner body within the lumen between a non-deployed state and a deployed state,   wherein: the plurality of saw teeth are hidden within the tubular body so as to be covered by the wall of the tubular body when the inner body is in the non-deployed state, and the plurality of saw teeth are exposed at the window when the inner body is in a deployed state.