Excitation wave propagation within narrow pathways: Geometric configurations facilitating unidirectional block and reentry (Q1196047)

The propagation of excitation waves in narrow pathways of 2D excitable media through regions of impermeable media and decreased excitability media is investigated as a model of reentrant arrhythmias in the heart. Arrhythmia occurrences are common in the presence of infarct scars where regions of normal tissue are interspersed with inexcitable ones. Propagation through narrow pathways with three idealized geometric configurations are considered: propagation through narrow paths with either parallel borders, tapered borders, or a combination of these. The focus of this study is on the conditions for unidirectional block and reentry appearance. It is shown that in narrow paths with only parallel borders unidirectional block is impossible, regardless of the properties of the border media. In this case only bidirectional propagation or block is possible, depending on the pathway width. Unidirectional block can occur, however, when the narrow path has a tapered shape. Waves propagating from the wide end of the pathway die out at the narrow end, while waves propagating in the opposite direction are able to pass through.