Application 1106
Endoscopic argon plasma coagulation therapy
Application No. | 1106 |
| Application Name | Endoscopic argon plasma coagulation therapy |
| Advisory Panel | Professor Ken Thomson (Chair and MSAC member) Dr David Gillespie (MSAC member) Mr Mark Schoeman (Gastroenterological Society of Australia nominee) Assoc Professor Jonathan Gani (Royal Australian College of Surgeons nominee) Mr Ian Hayes (Royal Australian College of Surgeons and Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia nominee) Mrs Judi Fisher (Consumers' Health Forum nominee) |
| Date Received by MSAC Secretariat | 19 May 2006 |
| Stage 1 - Eligibility | Eligible |
| Stage 2 - Assessment | Completed |
| Stage 3 - Formulation of Advice to the Minister | This assessment was considered by the MSAC at the 7 March 2008 meeting. MSAC has considered the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of endoscopic argon plasma coagulation compared with alternative modalities used to secure gastrointestinal haemostasis under certain circumstances and for the ablation of tumorous growth through or over oesophageal stents. MSAC finds that argon plasma coagulation is as safe as other forms of heat coagulation or local vasoconstrictor therapy in peptic ulcer disease. Although data for the other conditions with low incidence is very limited, argon plasma coagulation is considered by inference to be similar in safety profile for haemostasis of radiation proctitis, haemostasis of bleeding angiodysplasia, coagulation of post-polypectomy bleeding, other allied conditions of low incidence (haemostasis of gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE), and ablation of tumorous growth through or over oesophageal stents). MSAC considers that argon plasma coagulation is at least as effective and as cost-effective as other local methods of treatment of bleeding in peptic ulcer disease. There are insufficient data to demonstrate effectiveness and cost-effectiveness for haemostasis of radiation proctitis, haemostasis of bleeding angiodysplasia, coagulation of post-polypectomy bleeding, other allied conditions of low incidence (haemostasis of gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE), and ablation of tumorous growth through or over oesophageal stents). MSAC considers that the incidence of these conditions is insufficient to allow the collection of these data. MSAC recommends that public funding is supported for endoscopic argon plasma coagulation as an option for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease and other less common causes of gastro-intestinal bleeding including radiation proctitis, bleeding angiodysplasia, post-polypectomy bleeding, gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE), and for ablation of tumorous growth through or over oesophageal stents. |
| Stage 4 - Decision | Accepted by the Minister for Health and Ageing on 21 May 2008 |
| Stage 5 - Implementation | In progress |
Page currency, Latest update: 09 July, 2009
