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Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling
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Does visceral osteopathic treatment accelerate meconium passage in very low birth weight infants?- A prospective

Nadja Haiden1, Birgit Pimpel1, Alexandra Kreissl1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Neuropediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Plos One
|April 16, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Visceral osteopathic treatment did not speed up meconium excretion in very low birth weight infants. This approach was linked to longer feeding times and hospital stays, suggesting potential adverse effects.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Osteopathic manipulative medicine

Background:

  • Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants often experience delayed meconium excretion and feeding issues.
  • Investigating complementary therapies for VLBW infants is crucial for improving outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate if visceral osteopathic manipulative treatment accelerates meconium excretion in VLBW infants.
  • To assess the impact of osteopathic treatment on feeding tolerance and hospital stay duration in VLBW infants.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, randomized, controlled trial involving premature infants (<1500 g birth weight, <32 weeks gestational age).
  • Intervention group received three visceral osteopathic treatments in the first week of life; control group received no treatment.
  • Outcomes measured included time to last meconium passage, time to full enteral feedings, and hospital stay duration.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in the time to passage of the last meconium between the osteopathic treatment group and the control group (p = 0.11).
  • Osteopathic treatment was associated with a significantly longer time to full enteral feedings (p = 0.02).
  • A trend towards a longer hospital stay was observed in the osteopathic group (Median = 66 vs. 100 days; p = 0.14), with no adverse events reported.

Conclusions:

  • Visceral osteopathic treatment does not accelerate meconium excretion in very low birth weight infants.
  • The observed longer time to full enteral feedings and hospital stay in the osteopathic group may indicate adverse effects.
  • Current evidence does not support the recommendation of visceral osteopathic techniques for VLBW infants.
Abstract

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