ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIC MECHANISMS OF PERPETUATION OF ATRIAL-FIBRILLATION

The presence of an excitable gap during atrial fibrillation (AF), alth ough short and variable, may be of potential importance for the develo pment of alternative techniques for termination of AF by rapid pacing. Also the notion that perpetuation of AF may be partly dependent on ma croreentry around the natural atrial orifices, may provide a new thera peutic option for the permanent cure of AF by interrupting the anatomi cal circular pathways in the atria by radiofrequency ablation. in our opinion the rapidly growing understanding of the electrophysiologic me chanisms of AF certainly warrants some optimism about the possibility of cure of AF in the near future without causing too much discomfort a nd without carrying an unacceptable risk.