Simulation of ventricular fibrillation in a three-dimensional model of heart

A 3-D model is reconstructed from an isolated dog heart and discretized into 1473 elements. By incorporating the details of activation of nearest neighbors, velocity of propagation, and refractoriness of previously excited tissue, electrical propagation in normal heart is simulated. Excitation by six to ten extrastimuli results in a self-sustaining random activity considered equivalent of ventricular fibrillation (VF). This model reproduces some known experimental observations and predicts induction of VF by recurrent excitation and dispersion of refractory states in cardiac elements.<>