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Little is known in regards to the mechanism(s) of atrial fibrillation (AF) in humans.Various mechanism(s) has been described in animal models.Our laboratory has described two mechanisms of atrial fibrillation in the canine sterile pericarditis model.Using high density epicardial mapping, the two mechanisms ofAF are: 1) a rapid left atrial (LA) reentrant circuit causing fibrillatory conduction to the rest of the atria; and 2) unstable reentrant circuits involving both atria.Our laboratory has also studied AF in a canine rapid ventricular pacing congestive heart failure model in which the mechanism of AF is also due to one or more drivers.In patients with chronic AF, using high density intraoperative epicardial mapping, we have shown that the commonest mechanism of AF is due to a left atrial driver causing fibrillatory conduction to the rest of the atria.