Application Detail

Description of Medical Service

Single operator, single use, peroral cholangiopancreatoscopy (POCPS) enables high resolution imaging and therapy during an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure. The POCPS system consists of a catheter which is passed through the standard working channel of the ERCP duodenoscope, directly into the pancreatic and biliary ducts. This system is considered to produce high-definition, direct endoscopic visualisation of the pancreatobiliary system.

This application focusses on two key indications for POCPS:

• Diagnostic application: diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures; and
• Therapeutic application: removal of difficult biliary stones

Description of Medical Condition

Indeterminate biliary strictures
A biliary stricture is an abnormal narrowing of the bile duct, obstructing the passageway that carries bile from the liver to the bowel. Various disorders can result in the narrowing of the biliary ducts. The most common benign conditions include:

• Latrogenic (injury from surgical procedures)
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis (chronic inflammatory disease of the bile ducts)
• Chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)

The most common malignant conditions include cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), which has an incidence of 4.6 per 100,000 in Australia.

Difficult biliary stones
Gallstones are one of the most common diseases worldwide, with an estimated prevalence of 25-30% in Australians over the age of 50 years. In 10-18% of these patients, a gallstone will migrate from the gallbladder to the biliary ducts. Less frequently, stones will originate in the biliary ducts themselves. Biliary stones may be difficult to remove if they are impacted, lodged behind strictures, large in size (>15mm in diameter) or located in regions of the biliary tree which are difficult to target endoscopically.

Reason for Application

New MBS item

Medical Service Type

Diagnostic and therapeutic

Previous Application Number/s

Not Applicable

Associated Documentation

Application Form

Application Form (PDF 1452 KB)
Application Form (Word 681 KB)

Consultation Survey

Consultation Survey (PDF 584 KB)
Consultation Survey (Word 68 KB)

PASC Consultation
Not applicable

MSAC Consultation
MSAC consultation closed 11 February 2022.

For further information please refer to PASC, ESC, MSAC Key Dates
For further information on the consultation process please refer to MSAC Consultation Process

PICO Confirmation

PICO Confirmation (PDF 1611 KB)
PICO Confirmation (Word 312 KB)

Assessment Report

-

Public Summary Document

Public Summary Document (PDF 1021 KB)
Public Summary Document (Word 475 KB)

Meetings for this Application

PASC

12-13 October 2021

ESC

10-11 February 2022

MSAC

31 March-1 April 2022