Perivascular Excitation Tunnelling: a Novel and Preventable Cause of Cardiac Reperfusion Arrhythmias.

A preprint abstract from biorxiv.org discusses a study on the causes of cardiac reperfusion arrhythmias, which can be deadly. The researchers used Langendorff-perfused rabbit and pig hearts to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of these arrhythmias and test reperfusion strategies to prevent them. They discovered a novel mechanism called perivascular excitation tunnelling (PVET), where electrical excitability preferentially recovers along the reperfused vessel, leading to re-entry and arrhythmias. The researchers successfully prevented PVET-induced re-entry by using a two-step reperfusion strategy. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying cardiac reperfusion arrhythmias and potential strategies for prevention. [Extracted from the article]