Patent ID: 6988003

Claim:
A method of forming a plurality of depolarization vectors for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, the method comprising the steps of: providing a cardioverter-defibrillator canister having a first electrode and a second electrode disposed upon a portion of the cardioverter-defibriflator canister, and an electrical circuit contained within the cardioverter-defibrillator canister that electrically couples to the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrical circuit being adapted to provide an output pulse for cardiac stimulation using one of the first electrode and the second electrode as an anode and the other as a cathode; providing a lead electrode that is electrically coupled to the electrical circuit contained within the cardioverter-defibrillator canister; and positioning the cardioverter-defibrillator canister and the lead electrode subcutaneously over a patient's ribcage.