An apparatus, comprising: a cutting device including: a housing ; a set of couplers configured to reversibly couple the cutting device to a dilator , the dilator disposable about a wire that has been inserted into a puncture site formed in tissue; a cutting element configured to be in a fully retracted position in which the cutting element is disposed within the housing and a fully extended position in which a distal end of the cutting element extends distally from the housing, the cutting element configured to form an incision in the tissue that extends from the puncture site, the cutting element configured to be disposed radially outward from a lumen of the dilator in the fully retracted and fully extended positions, wherein the set of couplers is configured to decouple from the dilator when the dilator is disposed about the wire and the cutting device is moved in a direction lateral to a longitudinal axis of the dilator; and an actuation mechanism supported by the housing, the actuation mechanism including a moveable component or actuator which is slidable along the housing to deploy the cutting element when the cutting device is coupled to the dilator and the dilator is disposed about the wire such that the cutting element can form the incision. a cutting device including: a housing ; a set of couplers configured to reversibly couple the cutting device to a dilator , a housing ; a set of couplers configured to reversibly couple the cutting device to a dilator , the dilator disposable about a wire that has been inserted into a puncture site formed in tissue; a cutting element configured to be in a fully retracted position in which the cutting element is disposed within the housing and a fully extended position in which a distal end of the cutting element extends distally from the housing, the cutting element configured to form an incision in the tissue that extends from the puncture site, the cutting element configured to be disposed radially outward from a lumen of the dilator in the fully retracted and fully extended positions, wherein the set of couplers is configured to decouple from the dilator when the dilator is disposed about the wire and the cutting device is moved in a direction lateral to a longitudinal axis of the dilator; and an actuation mechanism supported by the housing, the actuation mechanism including a moveable component or actuator which is slidable along the housing to deploy the cutting element when the cutting device is coupled to the dilator and the dilator is disposed about the wire such that the cutting element can form the incision. a cutting element configured to be in a fully retracted position in which the cutting element is disposed within the housing and a fully extended position in which a distal end of the cutting element extends distally from the housing, the cutting element configured to form an incision in the tissue that extends from the puncture site, the cutting element configured to be disposed radially outward from a lumen of the dilator in the fully retracted and fully extended positions, wherein the set of couplers is configured to decouple from the dilator when the dilator is disposed about the wire and the cutting device is moved in a direction lateral to a longitudinal axis of the dilator; and an actuation mechanism supported by the housing, the actuation mechanism including a moveable component or actuator which is slidable along the housing to deploy the cutting element when the cutting device is coupled to the dilator and the dilator is disposed about the wire such that the cutting element can form the incision. <EOS>