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

Complications of supra-annular mitral valve placement in infants

C L Barker, P E F Daubeney, E A Shinebourne

Two infants underwent supra-annular placement of prosthetic mitral valves. The objective of this strategy was to insert a larger valve and delay replacement. This approach was initially successful but by two and three years later the patients developed impairment of cardiac function. The prosthesis decreased the volume and compliance of the left atrium causing high left atrial and pulmonary venous pressures. The “ventricularised” atrium below the prosthesis dilated. In neither case was it possible to delay second valve replacement.

(Heart 2005;91:e48) www.heartjnl.com/cgi/content/full/91/6/e48

Left atrial myxoma in transplanted heart

W W Yap, K Bhattacharya, V Pathi

Primary cardiac tumours are discovered in about 1 in 2000 necropsies. Cardiac myxomas make up half of all benign intracardiac tumours. Seventy five per cent are located in the left atrium. The first left atrial myxoma arising from the left atrium of a transplanted heart is reported.

(Heart 2005;91:e49) www.heartjnl.com/cgi/content/full/91/6/e49