Unpinning and removal of a rotating wave in cardiac muscle.
Rotating waves in cardiac muscle may be pinned to a heterogeneity, as it happens in superconductors or in superfluids. We show that the physics of electric field distribution between cardiac cells permits one to deliver an electric pulse exactly to the core of a pinned wave, without knowing its position, and even to locations where a direct access is not possible. Thus, unpinning or removal of rotating waves can be achieved. The energy needed is 2 orders of magnitude less than defibrillation energy. This opens a way to new manipulations with pinned vortices both in experiments and in cardiac clinics.
Institut Non Linéaire de Nice, 1361 route des Lucioles, F-06560 Valbonne, France.
S
S
Takagi
A
A
Pumir
D
D
Pazó
I
I
Efimov
V
V
Nikolski
V
V
Krinsky
D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D004554:Electric Countershock; D004560:Electricity; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors
D007477:Ions