The 6 Ds of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation

A practical handbook on fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for physicians, nurses, physician assistants, students, residents, and fellows, The 6 Ds of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: A Primer from Decision to Discharge and Beyond provides a clinical framework to understand and administer this treatment as safely and effectively as possible.

FMT has emerged as a promising treatment for C. difficile infection (CDI), and there is a major need for educational resources on the topic. Drs. Jessica Allegretti, Zain Kassam, and their expert contributors are leaders in the field and have collectively cared for thousands of patients suffering from recurrent CDI who have benefitted from FMT.

This guide provides practical tools, clinical pearls, and answers to frequently asked questions. Beginning with introductory information on the microbiome and exploring the history of FMT, The 6 Ds of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation outlines a step-by-step checklist for administering FMT:

• Decision: Who is the right CDI patient to receive FMT? What clinical questions should you ask patients in your FMT clinical assessment?
• Donor: How do you select and screen a donor for FMT?
• Discussion: What are the risks, benefits, and alternatives that need to be discussed with patients?
• Delivery: What is the best delivery method for FMT—colonoscopy, nasogastric tube, enema, or capsules?
• Discharge and follow-up: What is the ideal post-FMT care? How should you council patients following FMT?
• Discovery: What are the most promising emerging clinical applications for FMT? What is the evidence for FMT in obesity, autism, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and liver disease?

Arming healthcare professionals with the ability to answer questions from patients regarding FMT and the microbiome, The 6 Ds of Fecal Microbiota Transplantationprovides a pragmatic guide for this exciting treatment.