Methodological insights into fecal microbiota transplantation: Dissecting key approaches for success

Table 5 Comparison of common methods of fecal microbiota transplantation administration

	Enema	Capsule	Colonoscopy	Nasogastric, nasoduodenal or nasojejunal tube
Delivery	Distal colon	Small intestine/colon	Right colon/terminal ileum	Upper GI tract to stomach/duodenum/jejunum
Starting amount of feces	25-200 g	80-100 g	25-200 g	12.5-150 g
Final delivery volume per dose	300-500 mL	30-40 capsules	30-500 mL	30-500 mL
Pros	Well tolerated, no sedation, can be done at home	Non-invasive, faster, well-tolerated	Higher efficacy	Minimally invasive, avoids sedation risks
Cons	Retention difficulty, lower efficacy	Requires multiple doses, risk of gastric acid degradation; avoid FMT capsules if the patient has dysphagia, difficulty swallowing pills or gastroparesis	Invasive, requires sedation, risk of perforation	Risk of aspiration, patient discomfort

GI: Gastrointestinal; FMT: Fecal microbiota transplantation.