Endoscopic cutting device

Claim 1

An endoscopic cutting device for severing tissue, said instrument having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, said cutting device comprising: a support extending axially from said distal end to said proximal end; a cutting blade mounted to said support, said blade having a cutting edge which extends axially from a location adjacent to said distal end; an actuator slidably mounted to said support for axial movement parallel to said cutting blade; a band having a distal end and a proximal end, its distal end being attached to said support adjacent to the distal end of said support, and its proximal end being attached to said actuator, said band being elastic, and in its relaxed shape being formed as an arch, overhanging said cutting blade to form an opening to receive tissue which is to be severed, said band having shape-restoring properties tending to return the band to its arch shape when distortive forces are removed; whereby, with said band in its relaxed shape, said actuator may be moved toward the proximal end of the instrument, thereby drawing the band and tissue inside said opening toward the support, severing the tissue as it engages the cutting blade, the attachment of the band to the support and to the actuator being closer to the support than the cutting edge of the cutting blade so all of the tissue to be severed is forced past the cutting edge.