Xiao Di (pseudonym), who is 12 years old, has been trapped in an invisible cage of "smell" for the first 12 years of his life - any slightly strong smell can trigger his severe allergy. To avoid these "threats", he was not only forced to drop out of school, but also had to stay indoors all year round, with the air purifier in his room becoming the only safe barrier.
Finally, after treatment with the intestinal flora transplantation technology at Hainan Chengmei Hospital, Xiaodi successfully opened the door to a normal life.
01
"Banned" childhood by smell
"When cooking, I only dare to put oil and salt; I cant smell any other flavors..." Speaking of Xiaodis life, his family is filled with heartache. Since the age of 10, "avoiding smells" has become the top priority for the whole family - because any slightly strong odor is a "fatal blow" to Xiaodi.
Once, when relatives came to visit, they brought a bag of scented snacks. As soon as the package was opened, Xiao Di suddenly started coughing violently, his face turning red. He then felt dizzy and his knees weakened, almost falling to the ground. The family quickly took out the nebulizer and after half an hour of treatment, he finally recovered.
After this accident, Xiao Di was completely afraid to go out, and his school had no choice but to suspend him. "While other children were running, jumping, and playing on the playground, he could only lie on the window and look at them, asking us, Why cant I smell these smells? We couldnt answer at all." The words of his family were filled with helplessness.
Worse still, Xiao Di was diagnosed with superficial gastritis. His appetite was so poor that he could only eat half a bowl of rice at a meal, and diarrhea was a common occurrence. His family took him to the respiratory department, allergy department, and gastroenterology department, trying one antiallergic and stomach medicine after another, but the symptoms kept cycling between "remission and recurrence".
02
Microbiota testing: The root cause of allergies lies surprisingly in the gut
Just when Xiao Dis family was at a loss, an acquaintances words lit up their hope: "The intestinal flora transplantation at Hainan Chengmei Hospital may be able to cure this strange disease."
With a "lets give it a try" attitude, the family took Xiaodi to the Intestinal Microecology Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Hainan Chengmei Hospital after much searching.
The outpatient doctor did not rush to prescribe medication, but first sought the advice of Professor Yang Shufen, Vice President of Hainan Chengmei Hospital and an expert in child health care.
Professor Yang Shufen has been deeply involved in the field of pediatric healthcare for over 30 years, accumulating extremely rich clinical experience. After carefully studying Xiaodis past medical records, she quickly made a diagnosis: "This child suffers from intestinal leaky syndrome," and recommended Xiaodi to undergo intestinal flora testing.
When the test results came out, everyone was stunned: Xiaodis intestinal flora was severely imbalanced, with a high-risk level of harmful bacteria disorder, and all the flora indicators related to allergies and diarrhea exceeded the standard!
In fact, a severe imbalance in gut microbiota is closely related to leaky gut syndrome - when the microbiota is imbalanced, it can weaken the intestinal barrier function. At the same time, metabolites produced by the imbalance of gut microbiota (such as endotoxins and short-chain fatty acids, SCFAs) play a key role in the occurrence of leaky gut syndrome. Once leaky gut syndrome exists, toxins, pathogens, and various substances that may trigger allergies will enter the bloodstream, triggering an "over-defense" of the immune system.
This is one of the important reasons why Xiao Di repeatedly experiences allergic coughing and it persists and is difficult to cure.
Fecal microbiota transplantation can adjust the structure and abundance of the gut microbiota in Xiaodis body, gradually bringing the detection values of Ruminococcus, Ruminococcus alcaligenes, and Bifidobacterium breve, which are closely related to allergic symptoms, closer to the normal range. By increasing the combination of probiotics and prebiotics such as lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, the level of lgE can be reduced, while the intestinal mucosa is repaired, rebuilding the "intestinal microecological defense line".
03
After the microbiota transplantation, his life gradually returned to normal
The doctor customized a precise intestinal flora transplantation plan for Xiao Di: first, through scientific purification, the beneficial bacteria in the feces of healthy people were turned from waste into treasure. Then, they were precisely transplanted into his intestines through oral administration in the form of capsules, rebuilding the intestinal microecology. This was accompanied by nutritional and exercise interventions.
After a period of treatment, a follow-up examination showed that Xiaodis risk of harmful bacteria in the intestine had decreased from "high risk" to "low risk". Indicators related to allergies, such as Ruminococcus and Bifidobacterium breve, were gradually approaching normal ranges. His previous diarrhea had improved, and his appetite had also returned, allowing him to eat a bowl of rice in one meal.
What surprised the family even more was that Xiaodis tolerance for odors had significantly improved: "Now when he smells second-hand smoke, he just coughs lightly twice, unlike before when he coughed until he couldnt breathe; when I put a little soy sauce in the cooking, he also said I dont feel uncomfortable."
The medical team has not stopped yet - the nutritionist has designed a diet plan for him that avoids allergens and nourishes his gut microbiota, while the physical rehabilitation therapist helps him build up his physical strength starting with indoor stretching exercises. They follow up and adjust the plan every month, and the family members have also learned to record his diet and allergy conditions to help the doctors optimize the treatment.
Now, Xiao Di can finally go out with the company of his family: to the park to bask in the sunshine, enjoy the breeze, and even play with the children from the neighbors house for half an hour. Although he hasnt fully recovered yet, he keeps saying, "When I get better, I want to go back to school and eat meals in the cafeteria with my classmates."
After being "blocked" by odors for 12 years, Xiaodis life finally saw a turnaround due to changes in his gut microbiota. For Xiaodi, every delicious bite of food and every breath of fresh air outside is a testament to his re-embrace of life.
As the first intestinal microecology diagnosis and treatment center in Hainan, Hainan Chengmei Hospitals Intestinal Microecology Diagnosis and Treatment Center is patient-centered and adopts a "multi-disciplinary integration and joint management" diagnosis and treatment model. The center conducts innovative clinical diagnostic techniques such as intestinal barrier function assessment, fecal microbiota analysis, and intestinal microbiota analysis, as well as novel therapeutic techniques including lower gastrointestinal fecal microbiota transplantation, formulated probiotic capsules, and multidimensional microecological nutritional intervention. Its service scope covers patients from multiple fields, including digestion, cardiovascular, nervous system, oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, and dermatology.
The Intestinal Microecology Diagnosis and Treatment Center has implemented an appointment-based outpatient service
Doctors assistant: 13226895419
Center visiting expert
Zhao Xinkai, Chief Physician
Vice President of Hainan Cancer Hospital
Director of the Intestinal Microecology Diagnosis and Treatment Center
Medical expertise
Proficient in various complex and difficult techniques of digestive endoscopy, such as ERCP and related techniques, ESD and related techniques, ultrasonic endoscopy techniques, PEG techniques, capsule endoscopy techniques, small intestinal endoscopy techniques, and other endoscopic diagnosis and treatment techniques.
Yang Shufen, Vice President
Chief Physician, Professor
Graduate supervisor, expert in child health care
Medical expertise
With over 30 years of experience in child health care, I specialize in child nutrition and feeding guidance, monitoring and evaluation of child growth and development, particularly in child height management.
Zheng Yin
Vice President, Chief Physician, Professor
Vice President, Masters degree holder, Chief Physician
Professor, Supervisor of Masters Students
Scholar studying in the United States, top-notch talent in Hainan Province
Outstanding experts with outstanding contributions in Hainan Province
Medical expertise
Specialized in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and health management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases as well as geriatric diseases. Provide cardiac rehabilitation for patients with hypertension, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, metabolic syndrome, post-stent implantation, and post-bypass surgery, including guidance on medication, exercise, nutrition, and sleep disorders.
Lin Haifeng, Chief Physician
Director of Ward 3, Oncology Department
Medical expertise
Specializes in oncology, including the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, pulmonary nodules, breast cancer, liver tumors, liver nodules, gastrointestinal tumors, head and neck tumors, urinary tract tumors, as well as early screening, ablation therapy, and comprehensive management of advanced liver cancer; has extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of complex malignant tumor cases, and is familiar with the application of medical lifestyle in the treatment of malignant tumors.
Dai Wenxin, Chief Physician
Executive Director Professor of the Multidisciplinary Geriatric Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Doctoral Candidate, Postdoctoral Fellow, Masters Supervisor
Medical expertise
I. Diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimers disease and other geriatric diseases;
II. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases across multiple disciplines, including respiratory system, cardiovascular system, nervous system, and geriatric diseases;
III. Gene diagnosis, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, microenvironment analysis, and integrated precision treatment of tumors;
IV. Genetic diagnosis and precision treatment of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and hyperglycemia;
V. New biomedical technologies such as stem cell and gene programming, as well as new technologies like insulin pumps and diabetes reversal;
VI. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for treating benign and malignant tumors;
VII. Microbial therapy for chronic diseases and mental and psychological disorders using gut microbiota;
VII. Diagnostic and therapeutic techniques under medical endoscopes such as bronchoscope, mediastinoscope, and thoracoscope;
IX. Sleep medicine;
X. chronic disease management.
Editor | Huang Fei