Entrainment and interruption of atrial flutter with atrial pacing: studies in man following open heart surgery.

• DOI: 10.1161/01.cir.56.5.737
• Publication Date: 2012-06-11T23:57:40Z
• Authors: A L Waldo; W A MacLean; R B Karp; N T Kouchoukos; T N James
• Keywords: Flutter; P wave; Entrainment (biomusicology)

To examine the question of why pacing rate and duration atrial are crucial factors in successful interruption flutter, studies were performed on 30 patients period following open heart surgery. In each patient diagnosis flutter was made using a pair wire electrodes placed right epicardium at time operation brought out through anterior chest wall. The same used for pacing. Pacing faster than spontaneous which failed to interrupt associated with transient entrainment up rate. Atrial interrupted successfully when atria paced too fast follow. This heralded by conversion previously negative waves positive complexes ECG lead II. When constant rate, 2-22 seconds mean 10 required flutter.