What is the purpose of impedance testing in sacral neuromodulation?

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Impedance testing in sacral neuromodulation is used to verify that the electrical circuit from the generator to the sacral nerve lead is intact and that the electrode is properly interfacing with the surrounding tissue. By checking impedance, clinicians can detect issues like a broken lead, a loose connection, or poor contact between the electrode and tissue that would prevent reliable current delivery. This helps ensure the system will deliver therapy safely and predictably once programming begins. If impedance values are outside the expected range, it signals a hardware problem or suboptimal tissue interface that may require lead adjustment or repositioning before proceeding with therapy.

This test isn’t about how satisfied a patient is with the therapy, nor is it about estimating battery life or assessing infection risk. Those factors involve subjective outcomes, energy consumption, or infection markers, not the electrical integrity of the implanted hardware.