Application Detail
Status
OpenDescription of Medical Service
The medical service proposed is the surgical repair of a symptomatic rectus diastasis which is over the threshold distance of 3cm and where the patients have a recognised and documented pattern of symptoms - low back pain, daily abdominal discomfort on functional use and/or urinary incontinence. The repair would involve suturing the musculoaponeurotic layer of the abdominal wall and including associated excision of redundant skin and fat and transposition of the umbilicus (radical abdominoplasty). It would not be performed within 12 months of pregnancy.Description of Medical Condition
The medical condition concerned is the combination of low back pain, truncal instability and abdominal discomfort +/- urinary incontinence associated with significant rectus abdominis diastasis. This constellation of symptoms is not currently named as a
syndrome but meets the criterion of a syndrome (Oxford English Dictionary definition of a syndrome “a collection of symptoms that consistently occur together, or a condition characterised by a consistent set of symptoms”) and could be named “Rectus diastasis syndrome”. There is peer-reviewed literature establishing that rectus diastasis of greater than 3cm (most commonly as a result of pregnancy) is associated with deterioration in the function of the abdominal wall with an associated muscular imbalance, chronic back pain and discomfort at the level of the defect. There is some evidence that rectus diastasis contributes to urinary incontinence.Reason for Application
Amendment to existing MBS item(s)Medical Service Type
TherapeuticPrevious Application Number
Not ApplicableAssociated Documentation
Application Form
Application Form (Word 127 KB)Application Form (PDF 983 KB)
Consultation Survey
Consultation Survey (Word 508 KB)Consultation Survey (PDF 306 KB)