Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 7, 2026

High-Resolution Endocardial and Epicardial Optical Mapping in a Sheep Model of Stretch-Induced Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 29, 2011
Further evidence of localized posterior interatrial conduction delay in lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
P G Platonov1, S Yuan, E Hertervig
1Arrhythmia Research Laboratory, Research Institute of Cardiology, St Petersburg, Russia. ppg@cpr.spb.ru
Aims:
Prolongation of interatrial conduction time has been reported in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). The study objective was to localize the region of the conduction delay in patients with lone PAF.
Methods And Results:
Twenty-one patients with lone PAF and 23 patients with AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia ablation without history of PAF (control group) were recruited. Endocardial recordings were made during sinus rhythm and programmed atrial stimulation. The authors measured the interatrial conduction time, the 'right-sided' conduction time between the high lateral right atrium and the proximal coronary sinus (RA-CSp), and the 'left-sided' conduction time between the proximal and the distal coronary sinus (CSp-LA). During sinus rhythm, the interatrial conduction time was longer in the PAF group (103 +/- 19 vs 86 +/- 12 ms, P<0.01) due to delay of right-sided conduction (RA-CSp was 74 +/- 20 vs 56 +/- 10 ms, P<0.01). During programmed stimulation at the distal coronary sinus, the maximal RA-CSp time was also longer in the PAF group (110 +/- 47 vs 69 +/- 16 ms, P<0.05). No differences in CSp-LA time were observed.
Conclusion:
This study supports the role of posterior septal right atrial conduction disturbances in the genesis of lone PAF.
Related Concept Videos
Dysrhythmias IV: Characteristics of Bradyarrhythmias
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
Conduction System of the Heart
The pacemaker cells are located in two primary nodes: the sinoatrial (SA) node and the atrioventricular (AV) node. The SA node pacemaker cells can autonomously depolarize, triggering an action potential that leads to the...
Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies
Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm
Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias
