Sinoventricular Conduction

IN the beginning of the century Wenckebach1 and Thorel2 described specialized internodal pathways, and an interatrial pathway was observed by Bachmann.3 These findings were reaffirmed by James,4 who described an anterior, a middle (corresponding to the bundle of Wenckebach) and a posterior (analogous to the bundle of Thorel) intra-atrial pathway.These anatomic findings revived interest in the suggestion by Keith and Flack5 that there is sinoventricular conduction in man as in fish and turtle so that the sinus node can drive the ventricles without activating the atria. Although the prevailing view6 was that of Lewis et al.,7 who described radial . . .