ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Our institution utilizes an esophagectomy pathway to guide postoperative management. Our aim was to identify risk factors associated with missing pathway goals. METHODS: Retrospective review of esophagectomies from 2010 to 2015. Multivariate logistic regression models identified risk factors for missing postoperative milestones prior to discharge. Odds ratios of variables affecting goals were calculated. RESULTS: Of the195 esophagectomies, the most common risk factor for missing milestones was BMI, followed by operating room time, clinical stage, tobacco pack-years, and open surgical approach. Missing any milestone on the expected postoperative day significantly increase the odds of missing a future milestone, regardless of other risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified specific patient and operative factors that increase the risk of missing post-esophagectomy goals on time. Early identification of at-risk patients allows for pathway modification to avoid adverse outcomes and prolonged hospitalization. Analysis of meeting milestones early may allow for creation of accelerated pathways.
Subject(s)
Esophageal Neoplasms/surgery , Esophagectomy , Postoperative Complications/prevention & control , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Body Mass Index , Critical Pathways , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Operative Time , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Tobacco Use Disorder/complicationsABSTRACT
Accurate measurement of the lifetime of the neutron (which is unstable to beta decay) is important for understanding the weak nuclear force and the creation of matter during the Big Bang. Previous measurements of the neutron lifetime have mainly been limited by certain systematic errors; however, these could in principle be avoided by performing measurements on neutrons stored in a magnetic trap. Neutral-particle and charged-particle traps are widely used for studying both composite and elementary particles, because they allow long interaction times and isolation of particles from perturbing environments. Here we report the magnetic trapping of neutrons. The trapping region is filled with superfluid 4He, which is used to load neutrons into the trap and as a scintillator to detect their decay. Neutrons in the trap have a lifetime of 750(+330)(-200) seconds, mainly limited by their beta decay rather than trap losses. Our experiment verifies theoretical predictions regarding the loading process and magnetic trapping of neutrons. Further refinement of this method should lead to improved precision in the neutron lifetime measurement.
