Novel associations of giant cell myocarditis: two case reports and a review of the literature.

Giant cell myocarditis (GCM) is a rare and frequently fatal disorder with no proven treatment. It is a disease of young, predominantly healthy adults. Without transplantation, patients usually die of heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias.

Effect of atrial septal mobility on transcatheter closure of interatrial communications.

Background: Transcatheter techniques have evolved as alternatives to surgical closure of interatrial communications due to its less invasive nature and low morbidity. The technique may be limited by the inability to deploy the device and, thus, may be complicated by significant residual shunting. Mobile or redundant septal tissue has been implicated as a possible cause of unsuccessful closure.