1695 – Procedures for the implantation and refill-exchange of the Port Delivery System with ranibizumab to treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration

New Medicare Benefits Schedule item.

An ocular implant is surgically implanted at the pars plana. Prior to implantation, the ocular implant is filled with Susvimo®, a customised form of ranibizumab. Once filled and implanted, the implant is designed to be permanent and provide continuous release of ranibizumab over an extended period of time. Patients will attend a consultation to have their ocular implant refilled every six months.

Type: Co-dependent technology

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic eye disease characterised by progressive degenerative abnormalities in the central retina (macula) and is the leading cause of severe vision loss and legal blindness in people over the age of 65 years. Neovascular AMD occurs in around 10-15% of overall AMD cases, and is characterised by choroidal neovascularisation, a process in which new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and macula. In neovascular AMD, the protein vascular endothelial growth factor is predominantly responsible for the abnormal growth of blood vessels and fluid leakage under the retina.

• PASC consultation: Bypassing PASC
• MSAC consultation: Closed 11 February 2022  

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Find out more about consultation.

• PASC meeting: Bypassing PASC
• ESC meeting: Bypassing ESC
• MSAC meeting: 31 March to 1 April 2022

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• the MSAC process
• application types
• application timelines.