James Lawrence Brassell
Pharmacy at 4 Mile Cyn Dr, Boulder, CO

6296637, Oct 2, 2001

May 28, 1998

9/086613

Jonathan O. Thorne - Boulder CO
Jason Safabash - Redwood City CA
James Brassell - Boulder CO
Scott Allan Miller - Boulder CO
Jeff Rondinone - Los Gatos CA

Link Technology, Inc. - Boulder CO

A61B 1814

606 41

An electrosurgical electrode having a distal end for transferring the energy to the tissue and a thermal reservoir spaced apart from the distal end. The materials and shape of the electrode promote the flow of heat away from the distal tip so as to reduce the temperature of the tip during electrosurgery, to reduce tissue damage and to prevent the tissue from sticking to the electrode tip. The electrode is composed of a bio-compatible and highly thermally conductive metal, such as silver or gold of high purity, or alloy of those two metals. The shape provides a cross-sectional area that is constant or increasing as the distance from the tip increases. The rounded distal end transitions into a cylindrical section which then transitions into the thermal reservoir. The thermal reservoir is also cylindrical, having a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of the first cylindrical section.

6241723, Jun 5, 2001

Apr 21, 1999

9/295723

Warren P. Heim - Boulder CO
Michael D. Olichney - Boulder CO
James L. Brassell - Boulder CO

Team Medical LLC - Boulder CO

A61B 1818

606 34

An electrosurgical system is disclosed that applies electrical energy to obtain a predetermined surgical effect, while also reducing eschar deposits on a working surface of an electrosurgical instrument, producing an eschar deposit which is easily removed from the working surface and/or facilitating removal of eschar deposits during a cleaning procedure. Such benefits may be realized by providing a negative bias on the working surface relative to a return path to source during electrosurgical procedures and/or during a cleaning procedure which may include contacting the working surface with an electrically conductive liquid. To reduce smoke generation at a surgical site, the electrosurgical instrument may comprise a metal body having an outer insulating layer to reduce thermal/electrical discharge from non-functional portions of the instrument. An insulating layer having a thermal conductance of about 1. 2 W/cm. sup. 2. degree. K and a dielectric withstand strength of at least about 50 volts may be employed.

7175621, Feb 13, 2007

Nov 25, 2003

10/723320

Warren P. Heim - Boulder CO, US
James L. Brassell - Boulder CO, US
Michael D. Olichney - Lyons CO, US

Surginetics, LLC - Boulder CO

A61B 18/18

606 48, 606 34

A surgical system that applies electrical energy to obtain predetermined surgical effects while improving the control of the application of the energy that is supplied by electrosurgical generators. In one embodiment, a surgical assembly interfaces with and receives power from an electrosurgical generator for executing a first electrosurgical procedure. This surgical assembly may employ a shunt circuit between its power and return lines for providing in effect a voltage limitation and/or to allow a constant power electrosurgical generator to execute an at least substantially constant voltage electrosurgical technique. The electrosurgical assembly may also include a return coupler for directing energy from the patient back to the electrosurgical generator, which in turn may include a dielectric material which interfaces with the patient and which at least initially conveys the return energy via one or more electric fields versus conduction.

2007018, Aug 9, 2007

Jan 25, 2007

11/627340

Warren Heim - Boulder CO, US
James Brassell - Boulder CO, US

C04B 28/26

106815000

An improved coating and devices using said coating are disclosed The coating is applied in a liquid form and then dried or otherwise cured to form a durable adherent coating resistant to high temperatures and in at least one embodiment possessing hydrophobic properties. In one aspect of the invention the coating formulation contains at least in part an aqueous formulation of silica, such as colloidal silica, and one or more fillers, such as inorganic fillers, and sufficient base, such as potassium hydroxide, to have a pH exceeding about 10.5 during at least part of the formulation process. In another aspect of the invention the coating formulation contains one or more substances that affect its surface free energy such as by reducing the surface free energy to make the cured coating hydrophobic, such surface free energy altering compounds include silanes containing halogens such as fluorine or chlorine and in particular silanes containing one or more hydrolyzable groups attached to at least one silicon atom and a group containing one or more halogens such as chlorine or fluorine. In another aspect of the invention is a surgical instrument at least partially covered by a coating using the formulation of the present invention at least part of such instrument powered by electricity to produce a predetermined surgical effect.

2004003, Feb 12, 2004

Aug 22, 2003

10/381746

James Brassell - Boulder CO, US
Steven Ek - Bolton MA, US
Keith Foskitt - Westford MA, US
Alan Gannon - Amesbury MA, US
Warren Heim - Boulder CO, US
Richard Lansil - Woburn MA, US
James McCay - Fairfield CT, US
Gary McCarthy - East Bridgewater MA, US
Michael Olichney - Lyons CO, US
Alan Oslan - Bedford MA, US
Paul Sabin - Needham MA, US
Gary Tallent - Gloucester MA, US
Javier Verdura - Marietta GA, US
Guy Wilkins - Cincinnati OH, US
David Lockwood - Gouverneur NY, US

A61B018/14

606/041000, 606/048000, 606/050000

A surgical device includes a return electrode, an active electrode, and an insulating region adjacent to the active electrode. A rasping surface is provided by either the active electrode or the insulating region. Another surgical device includes an adapter configured to couple to a generator and to convert monopolar output from the generator into bipolar output. A method of applying electricity to tissue includes bringing a surgical device into close proximity with tissue and applying electricity to the tissue using the surgical device.

7867225, Jan 11, 2011

Jun 29, 2006

11/427691

Warren P. Heim - Boulder CO, US
James L. Brassell - Boulder CO, US

Microline Surgical, Inc - Beverly MA

A61B 18/14

606 41, 606 45

An electrosurgical instrument includes a conductive element in the form of a needle that is surrounded by an insulation layer except at a conductor tip portion of the conductive element. The conductor tip portion and insulation layer each have unique geometric shapes and composition of the parts to reduce or eliminate the production of smoke and eschar and reduce tissue damage. The electrosurgical needle electrode is configured to concentrate the flow of electrosurgical at the tip region.

7377919, May 27, 2008

Nov 10, 2004

10/985483

Warren P. Heim - Boulder CO, US
James L. Brassell - Boulder CO, US
Michael Olichney - Parker CO, US

Surginetics, Inc. - Boulder CO

A61B 18/18

606 45, 606 41

An improved insulating layer for electrosurgical instruments and its use for electrosurgical instruments for reducing smoke generation at a surgical site is disclosed. The insulating layer may include a ceramic material that is substantially sealed with a coating comprising substantially of a material based on polydiorganosiloxanes or derivatives thereof that have been cured. Such an insulating layer may advantageously include one or more insulating materials with pores that have been sealed so as to prevent biological materials from entering the pores with such sealing material preferably containing one or more of silicate materials or materials that form silicates. Heat sinks may be included in various embodiments to establish a thermal gradient away from functional portions of the instrument.

2007000, Jan 4, 2007

Jun 29, 2006

11/427681

Warren Heim - Boulder CO, US
James Brassell - Boulder CO, US

Surginetics, LLC - Boulder CO

A61B 18/14

606041000, 606045000, 606049000

An electrosurgical blade for use in electrosurgery includes a body having at least one conductive element that is surrounded by an insulation layer except at a conductor edge portion of the conductive element. The profile of the electrosurgical blade is configured to concentrate the flow of electrosurgical energy in a concentration region to facilitate starting or initiating the electrosurgical process. The profile of the electrosurgical blade is further configured to prevent excessive delivery of electrosurgical energy to reduce or eliminate the production of smoke and eschar and reduce tissue damage.

2007000, Jan 4, 2007

Jun 29, 2006

11/427675

Warren Heim - Boulder CO, US
James Brassell - Boulder CO, US

Surginetics, LLC - Boulder CO

A61B 18/14

606041000, 606045000, 606049000

An electrosurgical instrument includes a body having at least one conductive element that is surrounded by an insulation layer except at a conductor edge portion of the conductive element. The profile of the electrosurgical instrument is configured to concentrate the flow of electrosurgical energy in a concentration region to facilitate starting or initiating the electrosurgical process. The profile of the electrosurgical instrument is further configured to prevent excessive delivery of electrosurgical energy to reduce or eliminate the production of smoke and eschar and reduce tissue damage.

7867226, Jan 11, 2011

Jun 29, 2006

11/427702

Warren P. Heim - Boulder CO, US
James L. Brassell - Boulder CO, US

Microline Surgical, Inc. - Beverly MA

A61B 18/14

606 41, 606 45

An electrosurgical needle includes a body having at least one conductive element in the form of a needle that is surrounded by an insulation layer except at a conductor tip portion of the conductive element. The conductor tip portion and insulation layer each have unique geometric shapes and composition of the parts to reduce or eliminate the production of smoke and eschar and reduce tissue damage. The electrosurgical needle electrode is configured to concentrate the flow of electrosurgical energy at the tip region.