About this study
When children get a bone marrow transplant (also called a stem cell transplant or hematopoietic cell transplant), their digestive system can stop working well. This problem can happen because of damage from the transplant or from a condition called gastrointestinal (GI) graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
Our gut has many helpful microbes that help digest food, fight bad germs, and support a healthy gut lining. Treatments used during transplant—like antibiotics or chemotherapy—can damage or change these helpful microbes. This imbalance can cause diarrhea, pain, and trouble eating or absorbing nutrients. Right now, there are not many good treatments for this. Doctors need new ways to help these children get better.
This study is testing a treatment called fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). FMT uses stool from a carefully screened, healthy donor to add diverse microbes to the patient’s intestines. The hope is that these helpful microbes can restore balance in the digestive system. This may reduce symptoms and improve recovery after transplant.
Each child may receive 1 or 2 FMT treatments. Each treatment is given in the hospital using 2 methods:
- Through a tube that goes past the stomach into the small intestine
- Through a colonoscopy into the large intestine.
After treatment, the study team will check the child’s health for several months and call again at 1 year to look for any late side effects.
At the end of the trial, we hope to know whether FMT is a safe and workable treatment for gut problems after a bone marrow transplant in children. We also want to learn if it helps fix their digestive issues and how strong that help is. If it works and is safe, this could become a new treatment option.
Eligibility overview
- 0–21 years old
- Had a bone marrow transplant at least 30 days ago
- Has steroid-resistant or steroid-dependent gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease