CAN INTRAATRIAL REENTRY BE PREVENTED BY CHANGES IN SURGICAL TECHNIQUE

Intraatrial reentry tachycardias can be prevented by surgical techniqu e. Crucial in prevention is not to create areas of slow conduction. Al so, the integrity of the terminal crest appears to be essential for no rmal impulse propagation; at surgery the crest should preferably be le ft intact. The number of incisions in the atrium should be kept to an absolute minimum. One single incision is the best. Therefore, if is al so better to cannulate the caval veins directly instead of using the r ight atrial auricle.