Patent ID: 7826895

Claim:
An implantable medical device comprising: an impedance measuring circuit contained within the implantable medical device, wherein the impedance measuring circuit is configured to make measurements of the impedance across at least a portion of a transplanted organ in a patient; a processor contained within the implantable medical device, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the patient is experiencing rejection of the transplanted organ as a function of the impedance measurements; a first electrode for placement in contact with the transplanted organ; a second electrode for placement in contact with the transplanted organ; a first electrode for placement in contact with a non-transplanted organ; and a second electrode for placement in contact with the non-transplanted organ, wherein the impedance measuring circuit is further configured to make measurements of the impedance of at least a portion of the transplanted organ with the first and second electrodes for placement in contact with the transplanted organ, and make reference measurements of the impedance of at least a portion of the non-transplanted organ with the first and second electrodes for placement in contact with the non-transplanted organ.