[Permanent atrial standstill and atrial disease].

A case of permanent atrial standstill suspected upon electrocardiogram is reported, and confirmed by electrophysiological investigation. The originality of this case resides in the fact that the atrial standstill marks the developmental outcome of a bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome. This developmental sequence is the subject on discussion. It is concluded that a combination of auricular muscle lesion and sinus node tissue remains the most plausible anatomical and pathophysiological substratum of the bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome which developed into atrial standstill.