This is a strange procedure, I know, but some of you have heard of it so I did some digging to see what it’s all about. Fecal transplants–also called fecal bacteriotherapy or human probiotic infusion–are a relatively simple procedure to treat a very dangerous bacteria: C. diff.
This bacteria arises more frequently in hospital situations than in the general public, and affects people who have taken antibiotics. Antibiotic use, while killing bad bacteria, often kill good bacteria as well. C. diff resides in the intestine, and when the good intestinal bacteria are gone, the C. diff has free reign.
The theory with fecal transplants is simple: take stool that has a healthy mix of good bacteria, liquify it, and transplant it into a patient with C. diff. The good bacteria is reestablished in the colon, and the C. diff eventually goes away. Now, as we know, stool doesn’t stay long in the colon, particularly if you have diarrhea caused by C. diff, so I’m not sure if one transplant does the trick or if multiple transplants are needed.
But from case studies, it seems like this is an effective treatment. From all the news stories I read, however, it’s clear that this procedure hasn’t been put through rigorous medical testing yet. Many gastroenterologists won’t perform the procedure because of this. If further tests are done in the future, we’ll find out how useful this procedure really is.
Keep fighting,
~Dennis
News stories that further explain fecal transplants
Fecal transplants to cure Clostridium difficile infection
The Enema of Your Enemy is Your Friend
Scientists Treat Hospital Infection With ‘Fecal Transplant’
Stool transplant is last-ditch method against intestinal superbug C-diff
