2016 Presentation Synopses

Session 1 - Neonatology

International agencies set the improvement of quality of life in preterm infants has one of the major priorities. In fact, the WHO encourages multidisciplinary collaborations to improve quality of practice. As a matter of fact, some complementary medicines were included within health care services. In the context of Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), team working has been tested since mid 90s to implement procedures and deliver better practices. However, to date, a fully integration of multidisciplinary collaborations is still limited, although promising results in terms of clinical effectiveness and reduction of costs.
The neonatology session will explore the effectiveness of osteopathy in the context of NICU and will aim to establish a multidisciplinary scenario where neonatologists, policy-makers, stakeholders, health care professionals could debate on enhancing quality of neonatal care.

Francesco Cerritelli, PhD(c), MS, DO

A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of osteopathic manipulative treatment on preterms

Since decades, the WHO has been encouraging multidisciplinary collaborations to enhance quality of practice. This led to include some traditional, complementary and alternative medicines within health care services. In the context of Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), team working has been tested since mid 90s to implement procedures and deliver better practices. However, to date, a fully integration of multidisciplinary collaborations is still limited, although promising results in terms of clinical effectiveness and reduction of costs.
The lecture will aim to: 1) report the osteopathic research published in NICU setting; 2) summarise the evidence 3) open a discussion table of value to government policy-makers, regulators, researchers and health- care practitioners to debate on better evidence-based multidisciplinary practices.

Prof. dr. Filip Cools

Long-term consequences of premature birth

In Belgium, around 7% of pregnant women deliver before the 37th week of gestation. Extremely preterm infants, born at less than 28 weeks' gestation, often require a long period of intensive care. Despite progressive improvement in their survival, long-term morbidity remains high. The majority of preterm infants, however, are born between 32 and 37 weeks' gestation. Although these "moderately preterm" or "near term" babies, of which yearly 8 to 10 thousand are born in Belgium, often have a quite uneventful neonatal period, there is increasing evidence that they are at increased risk of developing cognitive impairment and behavioural or psychiatric problems. Possibly, those infants could benefit from early interventions to improve their long-term outcome.

Session 2 - Cardiovascular

Chronic pain, decreased pulmonary function and thoracic stiffness are common problems after CABG surgery. These problems influence the quality of life in these patients. The cardiovascular module will give some insight in these problems and address the potential added value of osteopathy after CABG surgery in a multidisciplinary setting. A second part addresses the presence of primovessels. The presence of “primo­vessels” in and around several vessels and nerves, viscera and fascia, and in the brain and spinal cord, reveals a common link that could potentially open novel possibilities in osteopathic medicine.

Gert Roncada, MSc, DO

Effects of Osteopathic Treatment on Pulmonary Function and Chronic Thoracic Pain after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (OstinCaRe-study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

OstinCaRe stands for Osteopathy in Cardiac Rehabilitation. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is an effective and widespread coronary revascularisation technique. Nevertheless there are a number of long-term postoperative complications from which patients can suffer. CABG surgery decreases pulmonary function by 12%, thoracic mobility is diminished and 30% of the patients suffer from chronic thoracic pain. These anomalies have significant clinical repercussion and may have an effect on the patient’s quality of life. To date and to our knowledge there are no effective treatments for these conditions. The aim of the present clinical trial is to explore the effectiveness of osteopathic treatment on these conditions.

Frank Vandereyt, MPsy

(Impaired) quality of life in cardiac patients.

For most patients, going through a heartproblem is a drastic event accompanied with worryings, anxiety, etc. Difficulties in the processes of working through and adaptation (e.g. behavior modifications in the area of lifestyle) can undermine the quality of life of heartpatients. This presentation shows the role of psychological factors (e.g. personality, depression) and interventions (psycho education, supporting the motivation, cardiac rehabilitation, etc.) influencing patients quality of life, especially on a multidisciplinary level (e.g. physical reconditioning leads to regain trust in the own body).

Jörgen Quaghebeur PhD, MSc, DO

Primo Vascular System: A Unique Biological System Shifting a Medical Paradigm.

The primo vascular system (PVS) has a specific anatomical and immunohistochemical signature that sets it apart from the arteriovenous and lymphatic systems. With immune and endocrine functions, the PVS has been found to play a large role in biological processes, including tissue regeneration, inflammation, and cancer metastases. The presence of primo vessels in and around blood and lymph vessels, nerves, viscera, and fascia, as well as in the brain and spinal cord, reveals a common link that could potentially open novel possibilities in osteopathy.

Session 3 - Communicating about osteopathy: all facts, no fiction

Communication about osteopathy sometimes lacks valid information. Colleagues, potential purchasers of osteopathic care and the community at large are entitled to robust and qualitative information about our profession. COME, as a leading investigator organisation and as a partner in different research projects wants to provide this valid information. This session reveals the results and future research of three important projects : the health economic value of osteopathy, the preparedness for practice of our European osteopathy students and workforce surveys across Europe.

Prof. dr. Lieven Annemans

Why should society pay for osteopathic care? The Health Economic Value of Osteopathy (HEVO Project)

Healthcare systems are increasingly faced with the challenge to spend the healthcare budgets wisely. Therefore, in decisions on reimbursement, priority should be given to treatments that offer value for money. It is increasingly shown that osteopathic care is effective in improving the health status of patients with different conditions. But do they also show value for money? And how do they compare with other interventions in healthcare? This lecture will provide an answer to these questions.

Emanuele Luciani, MSc, DO

Preparedness and Satisfaction in Osteopathy in Europe: the PreSS Project.

The aim of the PreSS study was to assess the preparedness to practice and satisfaction in learning environment amongst new graduates from nine European osteopathic institutions, leading to a comparison between countries where osteopathy is regulated and where it is not.

Patrick van Dun, MSc, DO

Osteopath Practitioners Estimates and RAtes (OPERA): census studies across Europe

Workforce surveys provide important information, which can be used to gain valuable insight into a profession’s ongoing and future development and guide strategic planning on its promotion and future research projects.
The Benelux Osteosurvey 2013 sought information about practitioner demographics, osteopathic training, work patterns, practice organization, clinical activities and patient profiles. International differences in therapeutic modalities and differences in scope of osteopathic practice are a real challenge for an unambiguous professional identity.
The questionnaire of the Benelux Osteosurvey serves as a basis for the OPERA surveys in Europe.

Session 4 - Pain

Pain is a sensory, cognitive and emotional experience, which results from the complex integration and modulation of nociceptive and non-nociceptive stimuli within a network of spinal pathways and central nervous system structures. Consequently, the management of pain in clinical practice, in particular chronic pain, represents to this day a challenge. In this session, we will go beyond the structural and functional aspects of pain processing and modulation, to explore the role of pain on emotional processing, body awareness and sense of the self, and to discuss the effectiveness of mind-body treatment strategies in osteopathic practice.

Jorge Esteves, PhD, MA, BSc, DO

Role of osteopathic care in emotional processing and regulation in chronic pain sufferers

Chronic pain is a complex and poorly understood condition incorporating sensory, cognitive and emotional elements. Chronic pain states are associated with anxiety, fear-avoidance, self-efficacy, catastrophizing and depression. These factors are closely linked with emotional states; however, until recently, the way in which chronic pain sufferers process their emotions was largely unknown. Our research demonstrates that altered emotional processing and regulation are strongly associated with chronic pain, particularly with chronic low back pain. In this presentation, I will argue that osteopathic care can play a critical role in emotional processing and regulation in chronic pain sufferers.

Dr. Stefaan Goossens

Chronic pain, often so much more than a disease ...

While acute pain may reasonably be considered a symptom of disease or injury, chronic and recurrent pain is a disease in his own right with proven abnormalities in transmission and/or modulation of pain signals. Single treatment of these pathophysiological changes is often insufficient to obtain a good analgesia and an improved quality of live. Many chronic pain patients will present with a complex and dynamic interaction between biological, psychological and social factors. In these conditions, a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory to obtain the desired treatment outcome.

In this presentation Dr. Goossens will discuss the biological, psychological and social factors influencing chronic pain. He will explain the approach, the screening methods and treatment options as they are applied in a multidisciplinary pain unit.

Hilary Abbey, MSc, DO

Exploring the effects of mindfulness informed osteopathy for patients with chronic pain

This presentation explores outcomes from a three year cohort study (n=250), funded by the UK Department of Health, to expand our biospychosocial scope of care for patients with chronic pain by integrating psychological and mindfulness-informed interventions with osteopathic treatment. Initial results are promising and are showing reductions in the negative impact of pain on patients' lives, and increased willingness to be physically active despite pain. Benefits and challenges, for patients and practitioners, of practising mindful osteopathy will be discussed.

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