[Pediatric inpatient interdisciplinary multimodal pain treatment in Germany].

Abstract

Background: Severely disabling chronic pain affects approximately half a million children in Germany. If there is a lack of response to unimodal treatment, an inpatient interdisciplinary multimodal pain treatment (IMPT) can be considered.

Objective: This review article describes the supply situation of pediatric inpatient IMPT in Germany and presents the current evidence on the effectiveness.

Material and methods: Based on a systematic literature search, studies addressing the effectiveness of pediatric inpatient IMPT in Germany were identified. In addition, further sources were used to extract information on pediatric IMPT treatment centers in Germany in order to describe the treatment approaches, the qualification of personnel and characteristics of patients.

Results: There are four pediatric pain centers in Germany that are specialized in inpatient IMPT for children and adolescents. Treatment duration ranges between 3 and 4 weeks. The multimodal treatment is carried out by a multiprofessional team and is generally available for patients up to 18 years. The majority of patients are female. The effectiveness of pediatric IMPT in Germany was investigated up to 4 years after treatment. Positive effects were shown for pain characteristics and also for the emotional burden. Additional treatment modules can facilitate further optimization of treatment effects.

Conclusion: Further research on the effectiveness of IMPT in Germany is important in order to refine and optimize the available treatment programs.