In order to be considered for FMT treatment, we require a referral from your treating specialist (Gastroenterologist and/or Surgeon).
Please note Bellarine Gut Health are currently only performing FMT procedures on patients with recurrent Clostridium Difficile infection, and patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
The FMT technique involves a colonoscopy and faecal transplantation. Prof Watson will consult with each patient individually to determine whether this is required.
The faecal samples will be obtained from BiomeBank, a faecal donor company which has been established in Adelaide. BiomeBank has established laboratories and storage facilities for storage of faecal sample donation. Individual stool donor samples are screened by BiomeBank under TGA guidelines and approval, with full screening for all viral and bacterial pathogens. All donors undergo a thorough screening process every six months for Hepatitis A, B and C, HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, C.Diff, Giardia, parasites, Shigella, Salmonella and Campylobacter.
The FMT samples are currently not funded by medicare or private health funds, and therefore have to be funded as a private cost.
Prof Watson is actively involved in research on FMT with colleagues at Deakin University and colleagues at BiomeBank, South Australia. You may be asked to join a research study as part of your FMT treatment. If you do not wish to be involved in any research studies please let us know and we will of course respect your wishes.
If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to ask us before or after your procedure. Our practice manager/research nurse Eloise will help to guide you through the process and is available for any questions you might have. This is a new and exciting development in gastroenterology and we will work with you to achieve the best outcome possible for your gut health.
FMT treatment with Bellarine Gut Health
Faecal Microbiota Transplantation
The human microbiome consists of all the living microorganisms in the human body, and their associated genetic material. The role that the microbiome plays in human health has become a topic of increasing interest.
In gut health, the microbiome may play a role in a number of disorders, including Clostridium Difficile infection (CDI), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) including Crohn’s Disease, Indeterminate Colitis and Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and slow transit constipation. It is also possible that it plays a role in other diseases external to the gut including obesity, autism, Parkinson’s disease, and anxiety/depression.
Although the microbiome is present in many parts of the human body, the gut contains the majority of microbial life. There are trillions of microbes in the gut, outnumbering the amount of cells in the entire human body tenfold. The microbiome is incredibly diverse, containing thousands of species of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, with many species having never been successfully cultured in the laboratory. As we cannot culture many of the organisms, previously we have not been able to introduce them into the gastrointestinal tract. The composition of the microbiome is variable, with differing species predominating in various local environments between the mouth, the small intestine, the upper part of the colon, and the lower part of the colon. The microbiome is also dynamic, and can change rapidly.
The composition and proportions of microbial fractions is impacted by many factors including dietary modification, social behaviour, ageing, genetic and environmental factors.
Faecal Microbial Transplantation (FMT) is not a new concept. The first records of FMT have been traced back to the fourth century China, where human faecal material was called “yellow soup” and was used in patients with severe diarrhoea.
In 1958, the first report appeared in modern medical literature. Eiseman and colleagues successfully treated patients with FMT for pseudomembranous colitis caused by infection with CDI. Since then, multiple studies have demonstrated remarkable effectiveness of FMT in cases of recurrent and refractory CDI. The cure rate is up to approximately 90% which is much superior to prolonged anti-microbial therapy.
The earliest record of FMT applied in a non-infectious disease was published in 1989. Borody and colleagues from Sydney performed “an exchange of bowel flora” on a 45 year old male with refractory ulcerative colitis, and reported full and lasting clinical recovery after treatment. Since then, FMT has been used as a therapy targeting IBD, and other bowel disorders such as IBS and chronic constipation. This has been published in the medical literature as clinical trials, case reports and review articles. It is important to emphasise that there is still much to do and more to learn in this exciting area of gastroenterology.