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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/12/2012 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hey all.

I was just sitting at home the other day when I started getting all these texts from some friends and my parents about this fellow in Germany who had gotten pig intestines transplanted and this had effectively cured him of colitis.

Now I didn't get to actually see the news and watch that segment but I was told about it. Has anyone heard about this? Is it for real!? If so can you link something so I can read about it. It sounds unbelievable but if that's a possible cure, I'm all for it. Rather have a pig belly then a broken human one....
Posted 3/12/2012 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
I've heard of using whipworms (I think - might have been another type of worm) as a treatment, but never a colon transplant.

I know they use heart valves from pigs in humans, but I would think that transplanting a whole colon is another ball game. Besides, you still have to be on drugs post-transplant - Imuran and the like were initially developed for transplant patients as anti-rejection drugs, and I'm fairly certain transplant patients take much higher doses.
Posted 3/12/2012 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting though. This apparently took place 4 years ago. If it turns out to be a viable option, I could see a bunch of people jumping on this. I know I would. I mean, I've only had it a year, but I'm pretty ready to be done with this annoyance
Posted 3/12/2012 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
If that is true, with transplants you would be on anti-rejection drugs probably for the rest of your life. It would be way easier to have a colectomy and get a j pouch!
Posted 3/12/2012 10:13 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, my nephew is on anti-rejection meds for a liver transplant and trust me -- he takes a ton of meds.

Posted 3/13/2012 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
the points about rejection drugs are true, better t take lower doses of immunosuppressants fo you own colon.

they are doing pig-to=pig transplants of bowels, but rejection rates are very hight and there are ususlly ostomies or pouches involved. Sounds like thepig lives in hell.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1432-2277.1996.tb01627.x/abstract

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