Quantitative study of nerves of the human left atrium.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify and study the distribution of innervation of the left atrium and the pulmonary veins in humans.


BACKGROUND
Damage to cardiac nerves has been hypothesized as the explanation for successful radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation.


METHODS
From January 2003 to September 2003, histologic and quantitative studies of innervation of the left atrium and the pulmonary veins was performed in 43 consecutive necropsied adult hearts (30 men and 3 women; mean age 45.5 +/- 12.4 years). The left atrium was sectioned in 1-cm slices from left to right, with the plane of section perpendicular to the long axis of the heart. Sections of the pulmonary veins at their ostia and sections 1 cm away of this structure also were obtained. Nerve fiber density was counted manually for each case and expressed as the mean number per slice.


RESULTS
Numerous epicardial nerve fibers and ganglia having distinct patterns of distribution in the left atrium were found. Nerve density was significantly higher at the ostia of the four pulmonary veins than in their distal part (7.1 +/- 2.1 vs 5.2 +/- 1.3 for left upper pulmonary vein; 6.3 +/- 1.5 vs 5.2 +/- 1.7 for right upper pulmonary vein; 7.4 +/- 2 vs 5.9 +/- 2 for left lower pulmonary vein; 6.7 +/- 1.8 vs 3.9 +/- 1.3 for right lower pulmonary vein). The left superior vein was significantly more innervated than the right inferior vein (12.3 +/- 3 vs 10.6 +/- 1.4). Gradients of innervation were found from right to left (9.8 +/- 4.6 vs 18.5 +/- 6.6, P < .05) and from the front to the rear of the atrium (17.2 +/- 6.4 vs 20.7 +/- 6.5, P < .05). The same heterogeneous distribution was observed at the myocardial level but with thinner nerve fibers, making quantification difficult. Only very thin nerve fibers were present in the endocardium.


CONCLUSIONS
The human left atrium exhibits several gradients of innervation at discrete sites. These findings may have clinical implications for radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation.
Chevalier
Philippe
P
Service de Rythmologie et de Soins Intensifs Cardiologiques, Hôpital Louis Pradel, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France. philippe.chevalier@chu-lyon.fr
Tabib
Alain
A
Meyronnet
David
D
Chalabreysse
Lara
L
Restier
Lioara
L
Ludman
Valérie
V
Aliès
Alexandre
A
Adeleine
Patrice
P
Thivolet
Françoise
F
Burri
Haran
H
Loire
Robert
R
François
Laurent
L
Fanton
Laurent
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000294:innervation*