Genesis of body surface potential distribution in right bundle branch block

Abstract

In order to investigate the specific sites of conduction block in the three types (I, II, III) of right bundle branch block (RBBB) classified by body surface isopotential maps, the simulation of ventricular propagation process and mathematically reconstructed maps were used. Four assumptions were introduced from the results of clinical observations and animal experiments. The maps reconstructed from two of these assumptions, in which the conduction block was placed on the main stem of the right bundle branch, showed two different patterns at late stages of excitation, and these two kinds of map resembled Types I and II in clinical maps, respectively. The maps reconstructed from the other two assumptions, in which the site of the conduction block was located mainly in the Purkinje system of the right ventricular free wall, resembled Type I at the late stage of excitation in one of two assumptions and agreed with Type III through all stages of excitation in other case. Based on the above results, it is speculated that the differences of ranges and degrees of conduction block ascribed to abnormal activation in the Purkinje system of the right ventricular free wall are responsible for the genesis of clinical RBBB map patterns.