Oley in Chicago        

Turnout at Oley’s one-day conference in Chicago was impressive, despite the cold weather of early February. Over seventy brave souls ventured out to hear the speakers, to meet and visit with one another over lunch, to gather information from exhibitors, and to participate in roundtable discussions. Said one conference-goer, “I always appreciate and takeaway so much added practical knowledge from [the regional] conference. Once again, I was not disappointed!”

In the morning, Darlene Kelly, MD, PhD, FACP,, calmed the chatter in the room and introduced the speakers: Doug Seidner, MD, FACG,CNSP; Laura Matarese, PhD, RD, LDN, FADA, CNSD; and Lyn Howard, MB, FRCP, FACP.Dr. Seidner gave a comprehensive overview of different parenteral (PN) and enteral (EN) devices, while Dr. Matarese offered suggestions on how consumers could customize tube feeding to fit their lifestyles. As Dr. Matarese concluded, “It is important to be responsible, but you can also be flexible. ”Dr. Matarese’s presentation is available online at www.oley.org (under “Tools for Better Living,” “Tube Feeding Tips”).

The final address of the morning session was “HotTopics in HPEN.” Dr. Howard, Oley’s Medical and Research Director, focused on new studies that show liver failure is rare in well-managed adults and children, as well as how fish oils may be safer than plant oils in pediatric PN solutions. Dr. Howard also explored the potential for standard trace element solutions in PN to be toxic, and talked a little about the 2009 Clinical Nutrition Week Research Workshop, which will address the PN requirements for micronutrients (trace elements, vitamins, and small additives such as choline and carnitine).

Traffic at the exhibits was brisk through lunch, and then we broke into three roundtable sessions, where conference-goers had the opportunity for more personalized discussion on a variety of topics. Alan Buchman, MD, MSPH, FACN, FACP, FACG, AGAF, addressed the issues involved in reducing homePN dependency; those at the table of Jon Fryer, MD, discussed the issues involved in being evaluated for intestinal transplant; Dr. Matarese and those at her table shared some practical solutions for tube-feeding problems; and Timothy Sentongo, MD, gave considerable thought to questions posed on a number of pediatric issues.

This one-day conference was supported in part by theDaniel E. and Ada L. Rice Foundation. You can borrow a DVD of the conference free of charge from the Oley video/DVD library. (You can find information about this and other videos and DVDs available from Oley on the Oley Web site: www.oley.org/video_dvd.html)

Clinical Nutrition Week

For several in the Oley community, the one-day conference was a brisk kickoff to a very busy week in Chicago: Clinical Nutrition Week(CNW), presented by the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition(A.S.P.E.N.).

Clinical Nutrition Week brings together researchers and clinicians in the field of homePEN from around the world, and offers exciting learning opportunities. Oley staff attended lectures and visited exhibits to gather information about the latest research pertaining to homePEN. Our goal was to seek the information that would be most useful to you, our Oley members.

Oley was also at CNW to share information with clinicians who provide care to people on IV and tube feeding. At  A.S.P.E.N.’s invitation, Oley put together a panel that included Oley trustee and HPN consumer Sheila Messina, MA, RN; Oley Regional Coordinator Ann Weaver, an HPEN caregiver; Tim Weaver, an HPEN consumer; and Oley Executive Director Joan Bishop. Sheila, Ann, and Tim spoke from the heart about what it means to live with HPEN, and Joan gave an overview of Oley’s programs. A DVD of this session is also available from the Oley video/DVD library.

The Oley booth in the exhibit hall, sparkling with silver balloons and stars in honor of Oley’s twenty-fifth anniversary, was seldom quiet. Oley staff and volunteers, including Oley President Rick Davis, answered questions and passed out hundreds of informational brochures, posters, and Keep Me Safe bracelets. We couldn’t have done it without the help of the volunteers, and offer many thanks to Terry Edwards, Kathleen and Larry McInnes, Patricia Tabron, and Ann Weaver.

The Oley staff came back tired, but brimming with ideas from CNW, and, as always, inspired by the Oley members whom we met.

Photos:

                                                                                                                                                                                                         


Program Highlights:

8:00–8:45 a.m.        Registration

9:00–12:00 p.m.      Welcome, Darlene Kelly, MD, PhD, FACP

                Hot Topics: Liver Failure and Trace Elements, Lyn Howard MB, FRCP, FACP
Dr. Howard, co-founder of the Oley Foundation, is Oley’s Medical and Research Director, as well as the former Head of the Division of Clinical Nutrition at Albany Medical Center. Her lecture focused on new studies that show liver failure is rare in well-managed adults and children, as well as how fish oils may be safer than plant oils in parenteral solutions. She also explored the potential for standard trace element solutions to be toxic.

                Making Tube-feeding Work for You, Laura Matarese, PhD, RD, LDN, FADA, CNSD
Dr. Matarese is the Director of Nutrition for the Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplantation Center at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center. She talked about a variety of ways that you can personalize your tube-feeding experience and tailor it to your unique needs, including options for tube placement, formula selection, infusion schedule, and many more!

                Parenteral and Enteral Access Devices, Doug Seidner, MD, FACG, CNSP
Dr. Seidner is the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition  at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, as well as an Oley Trustee. His discussion focused on the various types of equipment, the technical aspects of choosing device placement, caring for your device, and avoiding complications.

12:00–1:30 p.m.          Buffet Lunch and Oley Exhibits
                                    (Lunch sponsored in part by:  Baxter Healthcare, Cera Products, InfuScience, Nutrishare, Inc.)

1:30–4:00 p.m.            Roundtable Sessions
                 Reducing HomePN Dependency,
Alan Buchman, MD, MSPH, FACN, FACP, FACG, AGAF

                When to Be Evaluated for Intestinal Transplant,
Jon Fryer, MD

               Practical Solutions for Tube-feeding Problems, Laura Matarese, PhD, RD, LDN, FADA, CNSD

              Pediatric Issues,
Timothy Sentongo, MD
 

Our thanks to the Daniel E. and Ada L. Rice Foundation for their support of this program.

Exhibitors
The support and participation of these exhibitors are essential to the
success of our programs!

A.S.P.E.N.
Bard Access Systems
Baxter Healthcare Corp.
Cera Products, Inc.
Coram Healthcare
Covidien
CuraScript Infusion Pharmacy
Infuscience
Nestle Nutrition
Nutrishare, Inc.
NutriThrive
Walgreens-OptionCare

 

4/15/08