Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG)

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Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG)
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• Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) is a
  procedure that is being increasingly carried out
  overseas for weight loss. Early follow up studies
  show effectiveness equal to laparoscopic obesity
  surgery. The procedure has been carried out in
  Australia for about 2 years however this year
  Medicare recently cancelled the item number
  usually used for this procedure in a process
  hopefully ending with introduction of a specific
  item number for the procedure.

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• It is hoped this number will be issued within
  the next few months. In the meantime most ESG
  procedures have been put on hold in Australia to
  wait for the issue of an item number, so that a
  health fund claim can be made for the costs.

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• The procedure is carried out with an innovative
  piece of machinery, the Overstitch Machine, that
  attaches to a gastroscope, so that no surgery is
  required. The procedure is entirely endoscopic.
  The procedure appears very low risk. Dr Wilkinson
  has carried out the procedure until the item
  number was withdrawn, and is awaiting issue of an
  item number to allow more of these procedures to
  be carried out in Tasmania. In the meantime,
  Overstitch is being used for several other
  endoscopic procedures.

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• https//tasmaniaantiobesitysurgery.com.au/