Patent ID: 8828000

Claim:
An apparatus for severing an anatomical structure, comprising: a single elongate body having a longitudinal axis, including: a proximal end, a distal end, two parallel tubular members, each tubular member extending a length of the body parallel to the longitudinal axis and each having a distal opening disposed at the distal end of the body and a proximal opening disposed at or near the proximal end of the body, wherein the distal openings are opposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, and a flexible cutting member adapted to be threaded into one tubular member through its proximal opening, out its distal opening, into the other tubular member through its distal opening, and out its proximal opening, such that the flexible cutting member is parallel to the longitudinal axis in the tubular members and is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between the distal openings, wherein the distal end is adapted to receive an anatomical structure, and wherein the distal end is adapted sever the anatomical structure using the cutting member.