What is a lead crush?

A lead crush refers specifically to a situation where the outer conductor of a pacing lead experiences damage while the inner conductor remains intact. This condition can occur during the implantation or manipulation of the lead, leading to a situation where the integrity of the outer insulation is compromised. The outer conductor serves as a protective barrier for the inner conductive wire, which is responsible for transmitting electrical signals. Therefore, damage to the outer conductor can increase the risk of insulation failure, which can lead to short-circuiting or other malfunctioning of the pacing system.

In contrast, the other options describe different scenarios that do not accurately represent a lead crush. For instance, damage to the inner conductor while leaving the outer conductor intact would not be termed as a crush but rather as a specific internal lead failure. Similarly, situations where both conductors are compromised reflect a more severe issue than a simple lead crush. Lastly, stating that a pacing lead is completely functional does not apply to the concept of lead crush, which inherently involves some level of damage to the lead itself.