Conduction barriers of atrial flutter: relation to the anatomy.
Atrial flutter (AFL) is a common arrhythmia in clinical practice. Several experimental models such as tricuspid ring model, tricuspid regurgitation model, and atrial crush injury model have provided important information about the role of conduction barriers in the reentrant circuit. Human typical AFL uses the tricuspid annulus as the anterior barrier, and uses the crista terminalis, Eustachian ridge, and sometimes sinus venosa as the posterior boundary. Rate-dependent conduction block was found in the crista terminalis and sinus venosa. Some barriers such as the crista terminalis and Eustachian ridge are not intact. The conduction gap in the barrier can produce another kind of arrhythmia. Understanding the barriers of AFL is necessary for successful radiofrequency ablation.
Tai
Ching-Tai
CT
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, Republic of China. ct.tai@msa.hinet.net
Chen
Shin-Ann
SA
D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular