Patients Would Accept Stool Transplant if Recommended by Their Physicians

Stool transplantation (now, sometimes known by the more elegant name of fecal microbiota transplantation [FMT]) is the safest and most effective treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). FMT involves recolonizing the gastrointestinal tract with microbes from stool provided by a healthy volunteer; the stool suspension is infused via a nasogastric tube or rectally. Despite its efficacy, implementation has been slow, partially because of logistic difficulties and partially because of aesthetic considerations.

But, how unappealing do patients actually find FMT? Investigators surveyed 400 patients who attended a single clinic; the survey described recurrent CDI and elicited treatment preferences. Response rate was about 50%; …