Can intraatrial reentry be prevented by changes in surgical technique?

Intraatrial reentry tachycardias can be prevented by surgical technique. Crucial in prevention is not to create areas of slow conduction. Also, the integrity of the terminal crest appears to be essential for normal impulse propagation; at surgery the crest should preferably be left intact. The number of incisions in the atrium should be kept to an absolute minimum. One single incision is the best. Therefore, it is also better to cannulate the caval veins directly instead of using the right atrial auricle.