Bachmann's bundle
Anatomical cardiac structure
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Through Heart
History
In 1916, Jean George Bachmann conducted canine experiments. He found that clamping the muscular bundle of fibers that connects the atria caused a significant conduction delay.
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Structure
Bachmann's bundle receives its blood supply from the sinoatrial nodal artery (right, left or both).
Besides Bachmann's bundle, the other three conduction tracts that constitute the atrial conduction system are known as the anterior, middle, and posterior tracts, which run from the sinoatrial node to the atrioventricular node, converging in the region near the coronary sinus. Atrial automaticity foci are within the atrial conduction system. The concentration of converging conduction tracts near the coronary sinus results in considerable automaticity activity originating in that area.
Function
The normal cardiac rhythm originates in the sinoatrial node, which is located in the right atrium near the superior vena cava. From there, the electrical activation spreads throughout the right atrium. There are at least four locations where the activation can pass to the left atrium. Apart from Bachmann's bundle these are the anterior interatrial septum, posterior interatrial septum, and the coronary sinus. Because it originates close to the sinoatrial node and consists of long parallel fibers, Bachmann's bundle is, during sinus rhythm, the first of these connections to activate the left atrium.