Reforming wet-tantalum capacitors in implantable defibrillators and other medical devices

A method of maintaining one or more wet-tantalum capacitors in an implantable medical device, with each capacitor having a rated voltage, the method comprising:

• maintaining at least one of the wet-tantalum capacitors at a high voltage relative its rated voltage for a time greater than or equal to 15 seconds;
• discharging, after the time, the one or more of the wet-tantalum capacitors through a non-therapeutic load.

A method of maintaining one or more wet-tantalum capacitors in an implantable medical device, with each capacitor having a rated voltage, a tantalum anode, and a non-tantalum cathode, the method comprising:

• maintaining at least one of the wet-tantalum capacitors at a voltage equal to about 90% of its rated voltage for a time of about five minutes;
• discharging, after the time, the one or more of the wet-tantalum capacitors through a non-therapeutic load.

A computer-readable medium in or for an implantable medical device, comprising:

• one or more code segments for facilitating maintaining at least one wet-tantalum capacitors at a high voltage relative its rated voltage for a time;
• and
• one or more code segments for facilitating discharging, after the time, the one or more of the wet-tantalum capacitors through a non-therapeutic load.

An implantable medical device for implantation into a patient, comprising:

• one or more wet-tantalum capacitors;
• and
• means for reforming the one or more wet-tantalum capacitors without delivering therapy to the patient.

A method of maintaining one or more capacitors in an implantable medical device, with each capacitor having a rated voltage or a maximum-energy voltage, the method comprising:

• maintaining at least one of the capacitors at a high voltage relative its rated voltage or maximum-energy voltage for a time greater than one minute;
• and
• discharging, after the time, the one or more of the capacitors through a non-therapeutic load.