WiccanLiberal
01-21-2013, 03:08 PM
I don't know how many of you are familiar with the agent c.dificile. It is a bacteria somewhat related to the one that causes botulism. It's avenue of attack is in the gut. It generally arises in patients who have had major infections elsewhere and have been treated aggressively with antibiotics. Those drugs kill bacteria indiscriminately, including the good bacteria that reside in the colon. This allows the c. dificile to take over and produce massive diarrhea and sometimes death. There are one or two antibiotic treatments for it but they are not always reliable. Besides, the patient remains vulnerable to the original problem, lack of necessary symbiotic bacteria. There is a relatively easy treatment. Any guesses?? It's called fecal transplant. You find an acceptable donor, preferably a close relative, and obtain a sample. The patient comes in for a colonoscopy and the sample is processed to liquid consistency with sterile water and sprayed throughout the colon. It works remarkably well. Why isn't it being used more? Simple aesthetics. Physicians are afraid to suggest it to their patients because they believe that the patients would be so disgusted by the idea that they would never return to the office. We actually have a physician working at my hospital who was treated in this fashion and is totally healthy at present. So do you think you could overcome the initial distaste and undergo this therapy if it were recommended to you?