Stability of spiral wave reentry on curved surfaces

Reentrant spiral waves propagating on curved surfaces lying in 3D space were modeled using a finite element solution of a modified FitzHugh-Nagumo system. Under some conditions, surface topology could induce drift of nominally stationary spirals, even in the absence of heterogeneity or anisotropy. These dynamics may be important in the maintenance of reentrant arrhythmias.