Patent ID: 8494646

Claim:
An implantable medical device comprising: at least one functional lead which extends longitudinally and is connected on a distal end thereof to an electrode pole that is configured to discharge therapeutic signals or detect diagnostic signals; wherein said at least one functional lead comprises a current limiting device including a parallel circuit having a first current branch in parallel with a second current branch, the first current branch including a first current limiter and not a second current limiter and the second current branch including the second current limiter and not the first current limiter, wherein said first and second current limiter are configured to prevent electrical current in the at least one functional lead from exceeding a pre-specified maximum value; and, wherein the first and second current limiter are switched to cause the second current limiter to function as a substitute of the first current limiter, when a strength of electrical current falls to a value lower than a pre-specified minimum value in the first current branch of the parallel circuit.