BACKGROUND Previous studies of atrial flutter have found linear block at the crista terminalis; this was thought to predispose the patient to the arrhythmia. More recent observations, however, have demonstrated crista conduction. We sought to characterize the posterior boundary of atrial flutter. METHODS AND RESULTS Patients with counterclockwise flutter (n=20), clockwise flutter (n=3), or bo...

Large prospective, randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of anticoagulation for the prevention of cardioembolic stroke in atrial fibrillation. Anticoagulation with warfarin is associated with a 70% relative risk reduction in thromboembolic events for certain high risk groups and this can be accomplished without a substantive risk of major bleeding (1–3). Whether chronic a...

A 58-year-old man with hypertensive cardiovascular disease and atrial flutter underwent electrophysiologic studies, including multiple intra-atrial recordings and atrial stimulation. Although the surface ECG suggested the presence of atrial flutter, intra-atrial recordings demonstrated the presence of (1) sinus-like rhythm localized to an area of approximately 5 mm in and around the region of t...

Background-We studied atrial activation during induced atrial flutter in the canine sterile pericarditis model to test the hypothesis that the atrial flutter reentrant circuit includes a septal component. Methods and Results-We studied 10 episodes of induced, sustained (>5 minutes) atrial flutter in 9 dogs. In all episodes, the reentrant circuit included a septal component. In 6 episodes, there...

BACKGROUND In survivors of congenital heart surgery, intra-atrial reentrant tachycardia (IART) often develops. Previous reports have emphasized the atriotomy scar as the central barrier around which a reentrant circuit may rotate but have not systematically evaluated the atrial flutter isthmus in such patients. We sought to determine the role of the atrial flutter isthmus in supporting IART in ...

Perimitral atrial flutter in cardiac allograft recipients is uncommon. In general, mitral isthmus ablation can be quite challenging in all patients with perimitral flutter, including the subset of patients who present following left atrial ablation for atrial fibrillation. We report 2 cases where an anterior ablation line was easily performed to eliminate perimitral flutter and produce bidirect...

In anesthetized dogs, electrograms were recorded simultaneously from six atrial epicardial sites and a limb or esophageal lead in order to study the mechanism of atrial flutter induced electrically after an intercaval crush in comparison with atrial tachysystole induced by aeonitine. In the former, with limb lead records resembling classical human flutter in form and regularity, activation occu...

In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebocontrolled study we investigated the facilitating influence of intravenous procainamide on conversion of atrial flutter by rapid atrial pacing. Fifty consecutive patients with spontaneous sustained atrial flutter were 1:1 randomized into two homogenous groups: group A received 10 mg.kg-1 procainamide intravenously, group B placebo. After infusi...

INTRODUCTION Acutely, when left atrial ablation is performed during atrial fibrillation (AF), the AF may persist and require cardioversion, or it may convert to sinus rhythm or to atrial tachycardia/flutter. The prevalence of these acute outcomes has not been described. METHODS AND RESULTS Left atrial ablation, usually including encirclement of the pulmonary veins, was performed during AF in ...

BACKGROUND Radio frequency catheter ablation is accepted therapy for patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and has a low rate of complications. For patients with atrial arrhythmias, catheter ablation of the His bundle has been an option when drugs fail or produce untoward side effects. Although preventing rapid ventricular response, this procedure requires a permanent pacemaker ...