Wavefront-obstacle interactions: a computational study

In this simulation study, the authors examined the interaction between wavefronts and sharp obstacle corners in cardia tissue. They elicited a single planar wave beneath an obstacle composed of either an insulator, Tyrode´s solution, or passive tissue. They examined wavefront detachment from the obstacle for various degrees of excitability. To quantify the authors´ observations, they developed a method for calculating safety factors in two dimensions. They found that the ability of the obstacle to act as a source or sink greatly influenced wavefront behavior at the obstacle corner. The high conductivity of the Tyrode´s obstacle lead to significant reduction in the safety factor at its corner resulting in wavefront detachment at higher excitabilities than for the other two types of obstacles. The authors´ examination of wavefront-obstacle interactions presented here has strong implications for the modeling of various types of myocardial damage as well as for the modeling of natural cardiac obstacles