Experimental Production of Aberrant Ventricular Conduction in Man

Abstract

Aberrant ventricular conduction (AbC) was produced in 17 of 18 subjects, including six normal persons, by the introduction of electric stimuli via a transvenous catheter situated in the right atrium. Analysis of electrophysiological determinants indicated that AbC was favored by a long cycle preceding the short cycle which terminated in the aberrant complex, a short R to stimulus coupling interval, and fast atrioventricular conduction time. Electrocardiographic analysis of AbC revealed that all patients had right bundle-branch block (RBBB). In addition, incomplete right bundle-branch block was present in eight patients and was transformed to RBBB in all cases by shortening the coupling interval. Ten patients had slight but distinct variations of their RBBB pattern. There were two instances each of left bundle-branch block and intraventricular conduction disturbance. Hence, any patient may have the potential to produce a variety of AbC patterns. AbC was produced in six normal subjects and must be considered a physiological event which does not require covert pathology of the specialized conduction system.