Intestinal Lavage for the Treatment of Severe C. Difficile Infections

Despite a lack of definitive evidence, total abdominal colectomy (TAC) is currently recommended as the surgical intervention of choice in the setting of severe-complicated CDI. This recommendation was based on meta-analysis of studies comparing TAC to partial colectomy or other surgery (such as exploratory laparotomy without colectomy, or ostomy formation) or no surgery, which did not find any statistical mortality difference. This recommendation is based on the results of sensitivity analysis and an expert panel consensus that considered the potential for confounding factors such as TAC occurring later in the course of the disease and on sicker patients, and on anticipated patient values that would pace value on a definitive procedure being the initial surgical intervention.

Given the high mortality of fulminant CDI, early surgical intervention is recommended. However, data regarding the optimal timing for surgical intervention is lacking. Meta-analyses and guidelines strongly recommend early surgical management, defined as being before the development of shock or the requirement for vasopressors, based on very low quality evidence, but with the potential for significant mortality reduction.

On the basis of CDI being a toxin mediated inflammatory process of the colonic mucosa, Neal et al hypothesized that surgical diversion of the fecal stream with a loop ileostomy and intraoperative antegrade colonic lavage may effectively treat severe CDI. Widely referred to as the 'Pittsburgh Protocol,' the regimen included colonic lavage with 8 litres of polyethylene glycol (PEG 3350) intra-operatively after formation of a loop ileostomy, followed by antegrade Vancomycin flushes (500mg in 500cc Ringer's Lactate TID) and IV Metronidazole (500mg TID) for 10 days. The study utilized a before-and-after methodology comparing the experimental protocol to historical controls. Forty-two patients were submitted to the regimen over 18 months. Three patients required reoperation for TAC. 30-day mortality was 19% in the intervention cohort, compared to 50% in the control. 79% of survivors went on to ileostomy reversal within 6 months of surgery. One of the potential benefits of this regimen is that given the reduced morbidity compared to TAC, practitioners may have been offering surgical intervention earlier in the management of CDI and not exclusively as a therapy of last resort. Despite the limited sample size and methodological shortcoming of this study, this treatment regime has been adopted in some centres for select cases. A randomized controlled trial to compare this less invasive surgical approach with total abdominal colectomy was closed prematurely given lack of meaningful patient enrolment (clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01441271).

Given the positive results of fecal diversion and antegrade lavage and vancomycin flushed proposed by Neal et al, combined with the limited data regarding the benefit of intracolonic vancomycin, a novel treatment was instituted at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) to accomplish lavage of the colon and vancomycin flushes in an antegrade fashion using a nasojejunal feeding tube to facilitate delivery in select patients. The protocol allows for lavage and intracolonic antibiotic delivery similar to that provided by the 'Pittsburgh protocol' without surgical fecal diversion.

A small preliminary cohort of patients completing this protocol at LHSC is being assessed retrospectively, comparing outcomes to a group undergoing the Pittsburgh protocol and initial total colectomy. The study was approved by the Western University Research Ethics Board (REB File # 104944). Interim analysis of the past 24 months includes 13 patients undergoing the study protocol, 9 undergoing the Pittsburgh protocol and 17 undergoing initial colectomy. Despite significant limitations of the study methodology, the results are encouraging and further study is warranted, especially given the significant mortality associated with fulminant CDI.