treatment was identified, we discussed identifying a
stool donor with the patient.
Most stool donors were screened for potential
infectious pathogens and completed a questionnaire
to determine their risk factors for potential infections
as detailed in Table 1. Patients were also screened
serologically for hepatitis (A, B, and C), syphilis, and
HIV 1 and 2 at baseline to ensure that they were
negative prior to FMT (Table 2). Once screening and
testing were complete, the patient was scheduled for
a colonoscopy with the usual bowel preparation the
night before. Two days prior to FMT, all antibiotics
were stopped. On the day of the treatment, patients
were given the option to take 2 Imodium tablets 2
hours prior to the procedure and 1 tablet afterwards if
they felt they needed help retaining the FMT infusion.
The patient was also requested to bring a blender to
the procedure to process the donor fecal material.
The patient signed a consent form acknowledging
that FMT is considered an experimental treatment and
that unknown and unscreened infectious pathogens
may possibly be transmitted via FMT. At the time of
the FMT, the donated fecal material was brought into
a separate room and blended with sterile water. The
resulting slurry was drawn up into 60 cc cathetertipped
syringes. A colonoscopy was performed with
anesthesia assistance, and the fecal material was
infused through the biopsy port of the colonoscope
into either the terminal ileum or cecum. The colonoscope
was then withdrawn and random cold forceps
biopsies of the colon were obtained to rule out other
coexistent etiologies for diarrhea. The patient was
awoken from anesthesia, monitored under standard
nursing protocols, and discharged or returned to his
or her hospital room. The blender was discarded in a
biohazard bag.