We are pleased to introduce this issue of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Clinics focused on the "Complex World of Ventricular Preexcitation." Ventricular preexcitation was the first arrhythmia substrate that was proven to cause reentrant arrhythmias and was subjected to intensive scrutiny, which paved the way to develop surgical ablation techniques to effect a cure in the 1970s. This was followed by direct current catheter ablation (mid 1980s), and once radiofrequency catheter ablation became feasible, the modem ablation approach came into being (late 1980s). The work of investigators around the world has informed our current understanding of the physiology of these accessory atrioventricular connections, how they can lead to reentrant arrhythmias, nuances of successfully ablating them, and what complications can arise in the process. We welcome our colleagues, Drs Bagliani, De Ponti, and Leonelli, as guest editors of this issue. They have edited this issue with an electrocardio-logic focus, in keeping with their prior editorial efforts, "Reinterpreting the Basic ECG," "Clinical Aspects of Arrhythmias," and last year, "The Rational Approach to Complex Arrhythmias."
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