Fecal Transplantation Effective for C. difficile Infection

With the rising incidence of Clostridium difficile infection, refractory infection and multiple relapses have become increasingly common clinical problems. Treatment options have generally proven ineffective, with the exception of fecal transplantation. For this procedure, fresh donor stool is homogenized and instilled into the recipient's proximal colon through the biopsy port of a colonoscope. Donors are screened for common infections beforehand, and recipients are typically treated with anti–C. difficile agents until 24 to 48 hours before the procedure. After transplantation, the patient remains supine for a time and is sometimes treated with antimotility agents.

Several studies of fecal transplantation have demonstrated high cure rates. …