Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
Be freed from the curse of Clostridium difficile
The Super bug C diff.
Clostridium difficile or c. diff, this is a bacteria super bug that can take over the gut, and can causes ulcers on the intestinal lining with lack of good bacteria. This super bug causes extreme abdominal pain, diarrhea, anal bleeding, fever, and is similar to experience bad food poising on a daily basis. It can even cause death, and worst of all it is practically impossible to treat. Except now a break through treatment has been developed to treat this awful super bug, it is fecal transplantation. A fecal transplant is the transferring of good bacteria found in a healthy persons gastrointestinal tract into a person suffering from a disease or condition that involves the lack of good bacteria.
Why is Fecal Transplantation the best option?
Although Fecal transplantations may sound gross, it is extremely effective so much its success rate is whopping 90% with no relapses. 2/3 of patients taking antibiotics to get rid of C diff. experience some form of relapse after the antibiotics are completed this increases with patients over 65 years old. Not only is Fecal transplantation the most successful it is the most cost effective of form of therapy as well. Including all doctor visits, tests,and the procedure the total average cost is around 38,000$. This may seem pricy compared to the antibiotics, but since many of the antibiotics are ineffective the first round they will need to be taken over and over again, which can more than quadruple the original price. Even with the repeating of the antibiotics it is not a sure fire cure. This makes Fecal transplantations the most effective solution to C diff. “Those of us who do FMT have known its cost-effectiveness, which is obvious when you have such amazing cure rates compared to the other agents, which are quite expensive,” said Colleen Kelly, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine, Brown Alpert Medical School at Brown University, and a gastroenterologist at the Center for Women’s Gastrointestinal Medicine.
Age range for fecal a transplant
The average age range that is recommend by most doctors is 7-64 years of age. However this can be adjusted based on health and specific risks the patient has. It is most important for your doctor to decide wether you are eligible or not.
The procedure time
The procedure itself takes about 24 hours or less, but the recommended recovery time is around two weeks. However depending on how severe your C diff. case the more fecal matter is transplanted, therefore the recovery time will increase.
Steps to the procedure
The procedure itself is preformed by a colonoscopy. Which as a very common procedure, the main difference is the colonoscope is advanced through the the entire colon. When the colonoscope is withdrawn, the donor's matter is delivered through the colonoscopy into your colon.
FMT Success Story
Listen to Geoff's inspirational FMT success story. You can find more of these stories at http://thepowerofpoop.com/fecal-transplant-success-stories/
Citations
1. http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/clinical-updates/digestive-diseases/quick-inexpensive-90-percent-cure-rate
2.http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/gastroenterology_hepatology/clinical_services/advanced_endoscopy/fecal_transplantation.html
3.http://thepowerofpoop.com/fecal-transplant-where-to-start/
4.http://www.brightmedicineclinic.com
5.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491681/