Advanced Gastroenterology & Interventional Endoscopy
Comprehensive specialist care for digestive and liver disorders on the Mid North Coast. Our team offers the full spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy, including advanced techniques previously only available in metropolitan centres.
Prof Stuart Kostalas
MBiostatistics, GStat, FRACP
From routine screening to complex therapeutic intervention, we offer the full spectrum of gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Gastroscopy
Upper GI endoscopy for investigation of reflux, dyspepsia, dysphagia, coeliac disease, and surveillance of Barrett's oesophagus.
Colonoscopy
High-definition colonoscopy with advanced polyp detection. National Bowel Cancer Screening Program accredited.
Quality BenchmarkedERCP
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for bile duct stones, strictures, and pancreatico-biliary disorders.
Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
EMR of large flat colonic polyps and early superficial cancers, avoiding the need for surgical resection.
Advanced TherapeuticEndoscopic Submucosal Dissection
ESD for en-bloc resection of complex neoplastic lesions. Prof Kostalas trained in Japan and established the Mid North Coast's first ESD service.
Regional FirstThird Space Endoscopy
Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR), submucosal tunnel endoscopic resection (STER), Z-POEM for Zenker's diverticulum, and G-POEM for gastroparesis, offering minimally invasive alternatives to surgery for lesions arising from deeper layers of the GI wall and functional disorders.
Advanced Therapeutic Regional FirstWe benchmark our performance against international quality indicators, because your safety depends on the quality of the procedure.
Adenoma Detection Rate
Three times the recommended benchmark of 25%, reflecting meticulous inspection technique and advanced detection methods
Caecal Intubation Rate
Complete examination of the colon, well above the 95% quality threshold
Sessile Serrated Lesion Detection Rate
Significantly exceeding national benchmarks for detection of these commonly missed precancerous lesions
Why Quality Metrics Matter
The quality of your colonoscopy directly affects whether polyps and early cancers are detected. Studies consistently demonstrate that a higher adenoma detection rate is associated with a lower risk of interval colorectal cancer.
Prof Kostalas is committed to transparent reporting of quality indicators and participates in national benchmarking programs. Our practice philosophy is that every colonoscopy should be performed as if it were the only opportunity to detect disease.
We use high-definition endoscopes with virtual chromoendoscopy (NBI/BLI) to enhance polyp detection and characterisation, reducing unnecessary biopsies and improving diagnostic accuracy.
Experienced gastroenterologists providing comprehensive care across the Mid North Coast.
Prof Stuart Kostalas
Prof Kostalas is a consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist with subspecialty expertise in interventional endoscopy. He has resided in Port Macquarie since 2013. He holds a conjoint professorial appointment at the University of NSW and is completing his DPhil at the University of Oxford, researching serrated polyposis syndrome. He founded the Port Macquarie Gastroenterology Research Group in 2023 and established the annual Port Macquarie ESD Course in collaboration with Japanese expert endoscopists.
Dr Josh McCarthy is a gastroenterologist and hepatologist who grew up in the Port Macquarie region. He completed his medical degree at the University of Newcastle and advanced training across Port Macquarie, Lismore, Sydney, and Newcastle, including an endoscopy fellowship at John Hunter Hospital where he continues as a staff specialist. His clinical interests include colorectal cancer screening, advanced polyp resection, quality improvement in endoscopy, and inflammatory bowel disease management.
Clyte is our IBD Clinical Nurse Consultant with over 40 years of nursing experience, specialising in Inflammatory Bowel Disease care since 2011. As the founding CNC for IBD services on the NSW Mid North Coast, she established comprehensive care pathways that improved access to specialised IBD care in this regional area. Clyte co-founded the NSW/ACT IBD Nurses group and served on the IBDNA National Committee (2018-2024). She holds specialist IBD education from Queensland University, Harvard University (Immunology), and the Advanced IBD Nurse School.
Our commitment to research and education ensures patients receive care informed by the latest evidence.
Port Macquarie Gastroenterology Research Group
Founded in 2023, our research group focuses on improving outcomes in endoscopic practice, with a particular emphasis on serrated neoplasia and quality in colonoscopy. Our peer-reviewed publications include:
- Peer-reviewed Publications — We have published studies on serrated polyposis syndrome, sessile serrated lesion detection and detection benchmarks
- ESD Research — Collaborative publications with Japanese colleagues on endoscopic submucosal dissection techniques and outcomes
- Ongoing Clinical Research — Multiple manuscripts under review across high-impact gastroenterology journals
Port Macquarie ESD Course
Annual hands-on training course in Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection, developed in collaboration with leading Japanese expert endoscopists. Bringing world-class ESD education to regional Australia.
Academic Appointments
Conjoint Professor at the University of NSW. Completing his DPhil at the University of Oxford. Active involvement in medical student and registrar teaching.
Quality Improvement
Ongoing research into colonoscopy quality benchmarking, adenoma detection optimisation, and serrated polyp recognition.
Understanding your condition is the first step to effective treatment.
Bowel Cancer Screening
If detected early, up to 90% of bowel cancers can be treated successfully. We participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
Learn more →Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Comprehensive IBD management for over 250 patients, supported by a specialist IBD nurse. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis care.
Learn more →Difficulty Swallowing
Investigation and management of oesophageal disorders including strictures, motility disorders, and eosinophilic oesophagitis.
Learn more →Liver Disorders
Diagnosis and management of liver conditions including fatty liver disease, hepatitis, cirrhosis, and abnormal liver function tests.
Learn more →Open Access Endoscopy
Skip lengthy public hospital waiting lists. Our Open Access Endoscopy program provides private patients with timely access to specialist endoscopy, typically within 2 to 4 weeks of referral.
Your consultation and procedure are performed on the same day at Port Macquarie Private Hospital, minimising disruption and wait times.
Request Open AccessGP Referral
Your GP provides a referral to our practice
Appointment Scheduled
Our team contacts you to arrange a date, typically within 2 to 4 weeks
Same-day Consultation & Procedure
See the specialist and have your procedure at Port Macquarie Private Hospital on the same day
Results & Follow-up
Results communicated to you and your GP with a clear management plan
What you can eat: Well-cooked vegetables without seeds (asparagus tips, beets, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, squash, pumpkin), cooked potatoes without skin, tomato sauce (no seeds), ripe bananas, soft cantaloupe, honeydew, canned/cooked fruits without seeds or skin, avocado, refined white breads and plain crackers, cold cereals (puffed rice, corn flakes), white rice, noodles, refined pasta, and milk products in moderation.
On the day of your colonoscopy: You can continue to consume clear fluids, but from 2 hours prior to your procedure time you must stop all fluids (including water).
Clear fluids include: Water, black tea or coffee (no milk), clear soup/broth/Bonox, soft drinks, sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade), cordial, strained fruit juice without pulp, clear apple juice, yellow or orange jelly (no blackcurrant, red, purple, green or blue drinks or jelly), and a few barley sugar lollies.
On the day you can expect to be in the hospital for approximately 3 to 4 hours (unless advised otherwise), however the procedure itself usually lasts only about 20 to 30 minutes. Please note that you will need somebody to collect you after your procedure as you will not be allowed to drive due to the light anaesthetic.
Our reception team is available Monday to Thursday, 9:00am to 5:00pm (closed 12:30 - 1:30pm).
Address
Suite 22 / 15 Chancellors Drive
Thrumster NSW 2444
Phone
Hours
Monday to Thursday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
(Closed 12:30 - 1:30pm for lunch)
Friday to Sunday: Closed
Referrals
Referrals can be emailed to the address above or faxed to the practice. Please include relevant investigation results and a clinical summary.