WOW!! Now you can have your transpoosion by mouth (PO). YUM! The fecal transplant method of curing serious and sometimes life threatening gut infections such as Clostridium difficile was developed in the UK. This treatment, has heretofore been delivered rectally in enema form, or using invasive gastric intubation. Now the Canadians are tailoring transpoosions “in pill form” so that they can be taken orally. The success of this method appears to be superior, as the delivery of replacement microorganisms to the intestine, encased in capsules, appears to be more complete.
Dr Thomas Louie, of the University of Calgary custom designs transpoosions by extracting the gut bacteria from fecal samples, and delivering them in triple coated gel capsules which can make their way past the stomach to the small intestine before dissolving. The necessary population of fecal bacteria is packed into 24 to 34 capsules. So, rather than the whole “tootsie roll” patients are receiving only the microbial essence of poo, freshly compounded in pharmaceutically elegant form. Dr. Louie has had big success with his group of 27 patients, each of whom had suffered at least 4 flareups of C. difficile. None of his volunteers have relapsed since their transpoosions by mouth. PO poopie therapy appears to have a 1.000 batting average.
