Effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment of length of stay for pancreatitis: a randomized pilot study

There have been few randomized, controlled studies of the effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). In this outcomes research study, the authors randomly assigned patients with pancreatitis to receive standard care plus daily OMT for the duration of their hospitalization (n = 6) or to receive only standard care (n = 8). Osteopathic manipulative treatment involved 10 to 20 minutes daily of a standardized protocol, using myofascial release, soft tissue, and strain-counterstrain techniques. Attending physicians were blinded as to group assignment. Results indicated that patients who received OMT averaged significantly fewer days in the hospital before discharge (mean reduction, 3.5 days) than control subjects, although there were no significant differences in time to food intake or in use of pain medications. These findings suggest the possible benefit of OMT in reducing length of stay for patients with pancreatitis.