Living anatomy of the atrioventricular junctions - A guide to electrophysiological mapping - A consensus statement from the Cardiac Nomenclature Study Group, Working Group of Arrhythmias, European Society of Cardiology, and the Task Force on Cardiac Nomenclature from NASPE

Current nomenclature for atrioventricular junctions derives from a surgical ly distorted view, placing the valvar rings and the triangle of Koch in a s ingle plane with anteroposterior and right-left lateral coordinates. Within this convention, the aorta is considered to occupy an anterior position, w hile the mouth of the coronary sinus is shown as being posterior. While thi s nomenclature has served its purpose for the description and treatment of arrhythmias dependent on accessory pathways and atrioventricular nodal re-e ntry, it is less than satisfactory for the description of atrial and ventri cular mapping. To correct these deficiencies, a consensus document has been prepared by experts from the Working Group of Arrhythmias of the European Society of Cardiology, and the North American Society of Pacing and Electro physiology. It proposes a new, anatomically sound, nomenclature that will b e applicable to all chambers of the heart. In this report, we discuss its v alue as regards the description of the atrioventricular junctions, establis hing the principles of this new nomenclature.