Potential distributions and excitation time maps recorded with high spatial resolution from the entire ventricular surface of exposed dog hearts

The authors recorded potential maps, excitation and recovery time maps from the entire ventricular surface of exposed dog hearts using an epicardial sock with 630 electrodes spaced 4 mm, during atrial pacing or ventricular pacing at various intramural depths. Results made it possible to describe complex distributions of excitation and recovery isochrones. Ventricular pacing produced five epicardial areas characterized by different densities of isochrone lines, during both excitation and recovery. Potential maps revealed times and locations of up to 17 epicardial breakthroughs and enabled localization of a number of electrical events that were difficult to detect with previously used electrode arrays