Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Electrophysiological Assessment of Murine Atria with High-Resolution Optical Mapping
Published on: February 22, 2018
Electrophysiologic properties of pulmonary veins assessed using a multielectrode basket catheter
Koichiro Kumagai1, Masahiro Ogawa, Hiroo Noguchi
1Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan. kxk@fukuoka-u.ac.jp
Objectives:
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the electrophysiologic properties within the pulmonary vein (PV) and at the PV-left atrial (LA) junction.
Background:
It has been recognized that atrial fibrillation (AF) can originate from PVs. However, the electrophysiologic properties of the PV have not been well characterized.
Methods:
Thirty-two bipolar electrograms were recorded simultaneously from a basket catheter placed in 81 PVs of 48 patients with paroxysmal AF. The programmed stimulation was performed in the distal PV and PV-LA junction. Activation maps of PVs were analyzed from episodes of spontaneous onset of AF and initiation of induced AF by a single extrastimulus.
Results:
The effective refractory period (ERP) of the distal PV was significantly shorter than that of the PV-LA junction (177 +/- 43 vs. 222 +/- 30 ms, p < 0.0001). The conduction delay from the distal PV to the PV-LA junction was significantly longer than that from the PV-LA junction to distal PV (73 +/- 40 vs. 32 +/- 17 ms, p < 0.0001). During initiation of AF, a short coupled extrastimulus or rapid, repetitive focal activities originating from the PV formed a PV-LA reciprocating re-entrant circuit involving exit and entrance breakthrough points at the PV-LA junction. Also, an unstable re-entrant circuit within the PV was observed.
Conclusions:
The presence of ERP heterogeneity and anisotropic conduction properties within the PV and at the PV-LA junction may be crucial to promote re-entry formation and thus might play an important role as a substrate for the maintenance of AF.
More Related Videos
06:48Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Method for the Visualization and Assessment of Specific Parameters of the Pulmonary Veins
Published on: October 28, 2020
06:57Ablation of Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Multipolar Catheter and 3-dimensional Mapping System for High-density Electro-anatomical Reconstruction
Published on: January 31, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:21Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization
01:28Electrocardiogram Fundamentals
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a diagnostic tool for identifying cardiac conditions such as arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, and myocardial ischemia.
Definition
An electrocardiogram (ECG) visualizes the heart's electrical activity by tracing the electrical movement associated with each heartbeat on a graph or monitor. As the heart beats, an electrical wave passes through it, correlating with the cardiac cycle events.
Parts of an ECG
An ECG utilizes electrodes on the skin to...
01:19Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm