Macro-reentry
A large reentrant circuit typically involving anatomical structures or extensive scar tissue as circuit boundaries.
Full Definition
A form of reentrant arrhythmia characterized by a large circuit that encompasses substantial cardiac tissue, often utilizing anatomical boundaries such as valve annuli, natural orifices, or extensive scar tissue as part of the reentrant pathway. Macro-reentry circuits are distinguished from micro-reentry by their size and the involvement of anatomically defined structures. Common examples include typical atrial flutter around the tricuspid annulus and ventricular tachycardia circuits around large myocardial scars. These circuits can often be successfully treated with linear ablation to interrupt the pathway at critical isthmuses.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate as 'macro-reentry' not 'macroreentry' in formal medical documentation.
In Context
- "The macro-reentry circuit was mapped around the mitral annulus with clear identification of the critical isthmus." — Ablation procedure report
- "Entrainment mapping confirmed macro-reentry as the mechanism of the wide-complex tachycardia." — EP study findings