Concealed reentry: a mechanism of atrioventricular nodal alternating Wenckebach periodicity. 1982

L Littmann, and R H Svenson

Alternating WEnckebach periodicity is generally believed to reflect bilevel block due to horizontal electrophysiologic dissociation in the conducting tissues. We describe a case of atrial pacing-induced atrioventricular nodal alternating Wenckebach periodicity with concealed reentry in a longitudinally dissociated AV conduction system. Three observations support this unique mechanism: Concealed reentry occurred during the course of alternating Wenckebach periodicity; it could be invoked to explain the peculiar conduction patterns in this patient; and alternative mechanisms did not explain the alternating Wenckebach periods. Our findings also indicate that long conduction times during 2:1 block can be due to concealed reentry rather than concealed antegrade conduction, and participation in the echo process of a retrograde pathway with electrophysiologic characteristics of an atrioventricular nodal bypass tract does not exclude manifest and concealed reentry at a subatrial level.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D002036 Bundle of His Small band of specialized CARDIAC MUSCLE fibers that originates in the ATRIOVENTRICULAR NODE and extends into the membranous part of the interventricular septum. The bundle of His, consisting of the left and the right bundle branches, conducts the electrical impulses to the HEART VENTRICLES in generation of MYOCARDIAL CONTRACTION. Atrioventricular Bundle,Anterior Fascicle,Kent-His Bundle,Left Bundle Branch of His,Posterior Fascicle,Right Bundle Branch of His,Atrioventricular Bundles,Bundle, Atrioventricular,Bundle, Kent-His,Bundles, Atrioventricular,Fascicle, Anterior,Fascicle, Posterior,His Bundle,Kent His Bundle
D002304 Cardiac Pacing, Artificial Regulation of the rate of contraction of the heart muscles by an artificial pacemaker. Pacing, Cardiac, Artificial,Artificial Cardiac Pacing,Artificial Cardiac Pacings,Cardiac Pacings, Artificial,Pacing, Artificial Cardiac,Pacings, Artificial Cardiac
D004562 Electrocardiography Recording of the moment-to-moment electromotive forces of the HEART as projected onto various sites on the body's surface, delineated as a scalar function of time. The recording is monitored by a tracing on slow moving chart paper or by observing it on a cardioscope, which is a CATHODE RAY TUBE DISPLAY. 12-Lead ECG,12-Lead EKG,12-Lead Electrocardiography,Cardiography,ECG,EKG,Electrocardiogram,Electrocardiograph,12 Lead ECG,12 Lead EKG,12 Lead Electrocardiography,12-Lead ECGs,12-Lead EKGs,12-Lead Electrocardiographies,Cardiographies,ECG, 12-Lead,EKG, 12-Lead,Electrocardiograms,Electrocardiographies, 12-Lead,Electrocardiographs,Electrocardiography, 12-Lead
D006327 Heart Block Impaired conduction of cardiac impulse that can occur anywhere along the conduction pathway, such as between the SINOATRIAL NODE and the right atrium (SA block) or between atria and ventricles (AV block). Heart blocks can be classified by the duration, frequency, or completeness of conduction block. Reversibility depends on the degree of structural or functional defects. Auriculo-Ventricular Dissociation,A-V Dissociation,Atrioventricular Dissociation,A V Dissociation,A-V Dissociations,Atrioventricular Dissociations,Auriculo Ventricular Dissociation,Auriculo-Ventricular Dissociations,Block, Heart,Blocks, Heart,Dissociation, A-V,Dissociation, Atrioventricular,Dissociation, Auriculo-Ventricular,Dissociations, A-V,Dissociations, Atrioventricular,Dissociations, Auriculo-Ventricular,Heart Blocks
D006329 Heart Conduction System An impulse-conducting system composed of modified cardiac muscle, having the power of spontaneous rhythmicity and conduction more highly developed than the rest of the heart. Conduction System, Heart,Conduction Systems, Heart,Heart Conduction Systems,System, Heart Conduction,Systems, Heart Conduction
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001283 Atrioventricular Node A small nodular mass of specialized muscle fibers located in the interatrial septum near the opening of the coronary sinus. It gives rise to the atrioventricular bundle of the conduction system of the heart. AV Node,A-V Node,Atrio-Ventricular Node,A V Node,A-V Nodes,AV Nodes,Atrio Ventricular Node,Atrio-Ventricular Nodes,Atrioventricular Nodes,Node, A-V,Node, AV,Node, Atrio-Ventricular,Node, Atrioventricular,Nodes, A-V,Nodes, AV,Nodes, Atrio-Ventricular,Nodes, Atrioventricular

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