Could a fecal transplant stop dangerous brain fog after liver surgery?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age: 18 - 75 years old, both genders are eligible * Successful implementation of covered stent TIPS * Those who experienced recurrence of hepatic encephalopathy after TIPS surgery and still used lactulose and rifaximin (within 6 months after intervention with rifaximin and lactulose, West Haven grade ≥ 2 hepatic encephalopathy occurred at least 2 times) * Meet the conditions for receiving fecal microbiota transplantation through nasogastric tube (no severe anatomical abnormalities in the upper digestive tract; basic intestinal motility is normal; can tolerate the insertion of nasogastric tube and the subsequent infusion process) * Obtain the patient's written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with active gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation accompanied by severe damage to the intestinal barrier due to various reasons * Patients with congenital or acquired immunodeficiency diseases, those who have received high-risk immunosuppressive or cytotoxic drug treatment within the recent 3 months, and those with severe immunosuppression (neutrophil count \< 1.5×10⁶ cells/L; CD4+ T cell count \< 2.0×10⁵ cells/L) * Patients with malignant tumors of the liver or gastrointestinal tract, patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome * Patients with severe heart, kidney, or lung dysfunction (NYHA III-IV grade or unstable heart failure; eGFR \< 30 ml/min/1.73m² or requiring dialysis; respiratory failure or requiring long-term oxygen therapy) * Unstable vital signs (body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing) * History of gastrointestinal surgery within the past 3 months, such as colon resection * Patients planning to undergo liver transplantation within 6 months * Patients who have undergone FMT within the past 3 months * Alcohol dependence or use of psychotropic drugs (benzodiazepines, opioids, etc.) * Other neurological and psychiatric disorders, including dementia, Parkinson's disease, and post-stroke sequelae * Pregnant or lactating subjects * Subjects considered to have poor compliance by the investigator