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Related Experiment Videos

Automaticity in Mahaim fibers.

Eduardo Back Sternick1, Eduardo A Sosa, Carl Timmermans

  • 1Biocor Instituto, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. eduardosternick@aol.com

Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology
|July 15, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Spontaneous automaticity in Mahaim fibers occurred in 12.5% of patients and can trigger tachyarrhythmias. This finding supports Mahaim fibers having an atrioventricular nodal-like structure.

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Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Electrophysiology
  • Cardiac Anatomy

Background:

  • Mahaim fibers are accessory pathways in the heart.
  • Automatic rhythms are typically observed during radiofrequency catheter ablation for Mahaim fibers.
  • The occurrence and clinical significance of spontaneous automaticity in Mahaim fibers remain largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence and significance of spontaneous automaticity in Mahaim fibers.
  • To determine if spontaneous automaticity in Mahaim fibers can trigger tachyarrhythmias.
  • To explore the electrophysiological properties of Mahaim fibers.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 40 patients with Mahaim fibers referred for nonpharmacologic therapy.
  • Electrophysiologic studies and ambulatory ECG monitoring to identify spontaneous automatic rhythms.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Assessment of the relationship between automaticity and tachyarrhythmias.

    • Main Results:

    • Spontaneous automatic rhythms were observed in 5 (12.5%) of 40 patients.
    • In 2 patients, automatic rhythms triggered antidromic tachycardia; in 2 others, they caused non-sustained wide QRS tachycardia.
    • All automatic rhythms were eliminated by successful catheter ablation of Mahaim fibers.

    Conclusions:

    • Spontaneous automaticity occurs in a subset of Mahaim fiber patients and can precipitate tachyarrhythmias.
    • The presence of spontaneous automaticity, absent in rapidly conducting accessory pathways, suggests Mahaim fibers possess an atrioventricular nodal-like structure.
    • Successful ablation abolishes automatic rhythms, confirming their origin in Mahaim fibers.