Posterior Extensions of the Human Compact Atrioventricular Node

Abstract

Background—Catheter ablation procedures have revived interest in the detailed anatomy of the specialized atrioventricular (AV) septal junctional area. The compact AV node usually is considered to have a blunt posterior end. The objective of this study was to reconstruct the human compact AV node in relation to the landmarks of Koch’s triangle, with emphasis on its posterior extension. Methods and Results—In 21 hearts obtained from autopsies, the AV nodal septal junctional area was removed en bloc, serially sectioned, and reconstructed. None of the hearts showed a blunt posterior ending of the compact AV node; 13 showed posterior extensions on both the right and left sides; 7 had a rightward posterior extension only; and 1 heart showed a single leftward extension. Hence, a rightward posterior extension was present in 20 of 21 hearts. Furthermore, in 16 of these 20 hearts, the rightward extension continued to the level of the coronary sinus ostium; in 7, the bundle extended beyond this anatomic landmark. Th...