Dynamics of reentry around a circular obstacle in cardiac tissue

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Abstract
We studied the dynamics of a wave propagating around a circular obstacle in a two-dimensional cardiac tissue model. By starting with a large obstacle and decreasing its radius, a continuous transition was created between the two major types of reentrant cardiac arrhythmias: anatomical reentry (essentially one-dimensional) and functional reentry. As the radius of the obstacle decreases, a sequence of transitions occurs, from periodic motion to a modulated period-2 rhythm, and then to spiral wave breakup. These results may provide a useful basis for refining cardiac ablation techniques currently in use.