Patent ID: 8273098

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a guide body adapted for insertion adjacent a transverse carpal ligament, the guide body having a planar upper surface and a length, the guide body defining a track having a wide portion spaced from the guide body planar upper surface and a narrow portion between the planar upper surface of the guide body and the wide portion, the track extending from a first end to a second end along the length of the guide body, the track descending from the first end to the second end, wherein the distance between the planar upper surface of the guide body and the wide portion increases along the length of the guide body from the first end to the second end; and a knife adapted for bisecting a transverse carpal ligament, the knife having a blade and a track engagement portion, the blade having an upper edge, the track engagement portion having a wide portion and a narrow portion complimentary to the wide and narrow portions of the track, the track engagement portion adapted for sliding engagement within the track with the blade extending outward from the guide body planar upper surface, the blade upper edge extending a first distance beyond the guide body planar upper surface with the blade located at the first end, and the blade upper edge extending a second distance beyond the guide body planar upper surface with the blade located at the second end, the second distance being less than the first distance.