How the International Consensus on Lipoedema emerged
The Consensus group in 2019 consisted of 24 renowned experts from 7 European countries. All participants in this interdisciplinary group are highly experienced in the field of lipoedema.
The Consensus process was worked out in Open Space Technology (OST). OST is an acknowledged method for arriving at participant-driven decisions to resolve problems or conflicts in different situations. We draw attention to the fact that from our point of view all relevant European stakeholders participated in this process, this included:
- Chronic oedema nurses
- Physiotherapists
- Nutrition experts
- Medical doctors
- Obesity experts
- Surgeons
- Compression therapy experts
- Psychologists
- Patient support group
- Social education worker
All stakeholders - without exception - have consented to the results of this International Consensus.
The Földiklinik in Germany, which is the European Centre of Lymphology - treats all patients with lipoedema strictly according to the therapy concept of the International Consensus Document.
We are convinced that this Consensus is a very helpful instrument to explain the broadly and internationally accepted paradigm shift in lipoedema. The results are science based and moreover, they focus on the real complaints of lipoedema patients - and not on the non-existing oedema-component.
The attendees discussing the available scientific research which was collected in the months before the Consensus meeting in Hamburg (Germany).
Statements about lipoedema were collected. The attendees voted on whether they agreed or disagreed.
If 3 (or more) attendees disagreed with a statement in OST, working groups for specific issues were built to discuss and to achieve results for a consensus
Discussions took place in subgroups chosen by the attendees
Discussions took place also in the whole group.
The whole group voted on the results. All statements written in the Consensus achieved 100 % approval by the attendees.
