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Category: Analysis

Description: Atrial tachycardia (AT) is an abnormal cardiac rhythm characterized by rapid, regular contractions of the atria. One mechanism behind AT involves a reentrant circuit, which consists of rotating electrical waves circling around a non-conductive structure, such as the mitral valve. We will refer to this structure as a reentrant boundary. These circuits can be identified in the atrium using an electro-anatomical map. Once the reentrant circuit is located, an electrophysiologist performs a catheter ablation. This surgical procedure scars areas of the heart tissue exhibiting abnormal electrical activity to restore normal rhythm. As a standard practice, electrophysiologists ablate between the reentrant boundary with another non-conductive structure. Although this strategy typically re-establishes normal heart rhythm, it may lead to the development of a subsequent, usually slower, reentrant circuit, necessitating a second ablation (Rostock et al. 2010). In this study, we propose a novel way to characterize reentrant circuits, together with a complementary ablation strategy that could prevent the development of a subsequent reentrant circuit. This would reduce the duration of the procedure and decrease the amount of scar tissue applied.