[Atrial dissociation]

Auricular dissociation is a rare and interesting arrhythmia, characterized by ectopic auricular thythm, independent of the basic one. The basic and accessory auricular rhythm never interfere in between, the latter always being restricted to a smaller part of auricle and is almost never conducted to ventricles. It is most frequently a slow rhythm, and is rarely recorded as auricular fibrillation and undulation of one auricle, or as auricular tachycardia. Almost always the auricular dissociation develops in critical states and most frequently appears several hours prior to a lethal end. A typical case of auricular dissociation is described in a male subject with active myocardial infarction that originated several hours prior to the lethal end of the patient. In our case a rare variant of auricular dissociation is concerned, combined with AV dissociation.