Patent ID: 7567840

Claim:
A method for assessing a condition of a lead assembly coupled to an implantable medical device (IMD), comprising: determining by an impedance unit of the IMD or an external unit in communication with the IMD a first impedance relative to a first electrode and a reference electrode; determining by the impedance unit of IMD or the external unit in communication with the IMD a second impedance relative to a second electrode and said reference electrode; comparing by the impedance unit of the IMD or the external unit in communication with the IMD said first impedance to said second impedance to determine an impedance difference; determining by the impedance unit of the IMD or the external unit in communication with the IMD whether said impedance difference is outside a predetermined tolerance range; and providing by the impedance unit of the IMD or the external unit in communication with the IMD an indication of a lead condition error in response to determining that said impedance difference is outside said predetermined tolerance range to a memory of the IMD or a communication unit of the IMD.