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The Cardiac Conduction System

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Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices

Abstract

The intrinsic conduction system of the heart is comprised of several specialized subpopulations of cells that either spontaneously generate electrical activity (pacemaker cells) or preferentially conduct this activity throughout the chambers in a coordinated fashion. This chapter will discuss the details of this known anatomy as well as put such discoveries into a historical context. The cardiac action potential underlies signaling within the heart and the various populations of myocytes will elicit signature waveforms. The recording or active sensing of these potentials is important in both research and clinical arenas. This chapter aims to provide a basic understanding of the cardiac conduction system to provide the reader with a foundation for future research and reading on this topic. The information in this chapter is not comprehensive and should not be used to make decisions relating to patient care.

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Acknowledgments

Medtronic Training and Education and Gorinka Shrivastav for graphical support; Rebecca Rose, DVM, Louanne Cheever, and Alexander Hill, PhD of Medtronic for the histological sectioning and staining; Anthony Weinhaus, PhD for additional details on atrial anatomy; Igor Efimov, PhD from Washington University in St. Louis, MO for 3D images of the human atrioventricular node.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, and Medtronic, Inc., University of Minnesota, 8200 Coral Sea St. NE, MVS84, Mounds view, MN, 55112, USA

    Timothy G. Laske

  2. Medtronic, Inc., 8200 Coral Sea St. NE, Mounds view, MN, 55112, USA

    Maneesh Shrivastav

  3. Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Paul A. Iaizzo

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  1. Timothy G. Laske
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  2. Maneesh Shrivastav
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  3. Paul A. Iaizzo
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Correspondence to Timothy G. Laske .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Surgery, University of Minnesota, Delaware St. SE., 420, Minneapolis, 55455, U.S.A.

    Paul A. Iaizzo

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Laske, T.G., Shrivastav, M., Iaizzo, P.A. (2009). The Cardiac Conduction System. In: Iaizzo, P. (eds) Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-372-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-372-5_11

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