
Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) has reached an epidemic state and is the most common infectious cause of diarrhea in hospitals. Health care providers are seeing increased severity and recurrence rates of the infection.
As a result, new treatments are being tested. Mayo Clinic experts are at the forefront of these tests. In June, Mayo Clinic opened a C. Difficile Clinic to provide these treatments to patients.
"New treatment options are now available and we believe that a clinic dedicated to C. difficile will help improve patient care and outcomes," says Sahil Khanna, M.B.B.S., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist.
One new treatment available is fecal transplant. Also known as stool transplant, the procedure restores healthy intestinal bacteria by placing donor stool in the colon. Additionally, there is ongoing research on the gut microflora in collaboration with the Center for Individualized Medicine at Mayo Clinic.
Mayo Clinic has expertise in all facets of treatment, including:
Journalists: B-roll video of a fecal microbial transplant (FMT) and sound bites with Dr. Khanna are available in the downloads. Dr. Khanna and Darrell Pardi, M.D., also a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, and staff of the clinic are available to discuss c. difficile and treatments by contacting Mayo Clinic Public Relations at: newsbureau@mayo.edu
Heartburn — that burning pain in your chest after eating certain foods or when you lie down in the evening — is a common complaint ...
Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a diverse range of environmental chemicals in human bile in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare, chronic liver disease ...
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can significantly disrupt a person's daily life. Some people suffer in silence because of painful stomach cramps, diarrhea and constipation. These ...