Evidence for a Novel Self-Inhibitory Effect on Rotor Formation and Destruction Rates With Increased Phase Singularity Population During Human Atrial and Ventricular Fibrillation

Abstract

Atrial and ventricular fibrillation (AF/VF) are characterised by the repetitive regeneration of re-entrant circuits called rotors, which have at their pivot topological defects known as phase singularities (PS). The influence of PS population size on rotor formation and destruction rates has not previously been systematically studied. We hypothesised that the PS formation and destruction rates would change as PS population increased, due to interaction between PS. We looked at the formation and destruction rates of PS at different population sizes to characterise the potential influence of PS interactions.