The Optimal Angle of Head Rotation for Internal Jugular Cannulation as Determined by Ultrasound Evaluation.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the degree of head rotation that creates the maximal anatomic separation between the right internal jugular vein and the carotid artery.

Design: Single-center prospective, observational cohort study.

Setting: University medical center.

The effect of Clostridium difficile infection on cardiac surgery outcomes.

Background: Clostridium difficile (CD) is a common cause of healthcare-associated infectious colitis that complicates about 1% of all hospital stays in the U.S. The impact of CD on outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and valvular surgery (VS) is not well known.