title: Role of spiral wave pinning in inhomogeneous active media in the termination of atrial fibrillation by electrical cardioversion.
abstract: Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia to affect humans. One of the treatment modalities for atrial fibrillation is an electrical cardioversion. Electrical cardioversion can result in one of three outcomes: an immediate termination of arrhythmic activity, a delayed termination or unsuccessful termination. The mechanism of delayed termination is unknown. Here we present a model of an atrial fibrillation as a coexistence of several spiral waves pinned to the inhomogeneities in active media. We show that in inhomogeneous system delayed termination can be explained as the unpinning of a spiral wave from inhomogeneities and its termination after collision with the edge of the system.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Centre, Department of Cardiology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia. pawel.kuklik@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuklik
authors.forename: Christopher X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Anthony G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Jan Jacek
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zebrowski
authors.forename: Prashanthan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004554:Electric Countershock; D006801:Humans