The follow electronic only articles are published in conjunction with this issue of Heart.

Failure of intravascular ultrasound to identify the site of recurrent focal coronary spasm during stenting

T Azeem, D Adlam, A Gershlick

Focal coronary spasm is often associated with an area of mural plaque disease. This report describes a patient with recurrent severe coronary spasm unresponsive to medical treatment. Coronary arteriography and intravascular ultrasound identified a candidate area of minor coronary atheromatous disease but ergonovine provocation testing showed the spastic coronary segment to be distal to and distinct from this area. Coronary stenting of the site identified by ergonovine provocation testing was effective in relieving provoked and spontaneous spasm.

(Heart 2004;90:e33) www.heartjnl.com/cgi/content/full/90/6/e33

Candida Endocarditis with mycotic pulmonary emboli following re-do Rastelli operation

N T Wijesekera, M N Sheppard, M J Mullen

A case of a 19 year old patient with Candida endocarditis complicated by pulmonary infarction and pulmonary mycotic abscesses following replacement of a right ventricle to pulmonary artery homograft conduit is presented. Despite preceding hospital admissions with probable septic pulmonary emboli, diagnosis was made only after massive pulmonary haemorrhage that ultimately proved fatal. This case highlights that Candida endocarditis should be considered in patients with symptoms and signs compatible with bacterial endocarditis when blood cultures are negative, especially in the setting of congenital cardiac malformations, and illustrates the high mortality associated with delayed diagnosis.

(Heart 2004;90:e34) www.heartjnl.com/cgi/content/full/90/6/e34