Background

Heart/Lung Candidates Requiring Transplantation

Most heart/lung transplant recipients have Eisenmenger syndrome (37%), followed by idiopathic pulmonary artery hypertension (28%) and cystic fibrosis (14%). Eisenmenger syndrome is a form of congenital heart disease in which systemic-to-pulmonary shunting leads to pulmonary vascular resistance. It is possible that pulmonary hypertension could lead to a reversal of the intracardiac shunting and inadequate peripheral oxygenation or cyanosis.^1,

Treatment

Combined heart/lung transplantation is intended to prolong survival and improve function in patients with end-stage cardiac and pulmonary diseases. Due to corrective surgical techniques and improved medical management of pulmonary hypertension, the total number of patients with Eisenmenger syndrome has seen a decline in recent years. Additionally, heart/lung transplants have not increased appreciably, but for other indications, it has become more common to transplant a single or double lung and maximize medical therapy for heart failure, rather than perform a combined transplant. For those indications, patient survival rates following heart/lung transplantations are similar to lung transplant rates. Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome is a major complication. One-, 5-, and 10-year patient survival rates for heart/lung transplants performed between 1982 and 2014 were estimated at 63%, 45%, and 32%, respectively.^2,

In 2017, 29 individuals received heart/lung transplants in the U. S. As of April 2018, 51 patients were on the waiting list for heart/lung transplants.^3,

Regulatory Status

Heart/lung transplantation is a surgical procedure and, as such, is not subject to regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates human cells and tissues intended for implantation, transplantation, or infusion through the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, under Code of Federal Regulation Title 21, parts 1270 and 1271. Heart/lung transplants are included in these regulations.

Related Policies

• Lung and Lobar Lung Transplant (Policy #099 in the Surgery Section)
• Heart Transplant (Policy #098 in the Surgery Section)

I. Heat/lung transplantation is considered medically necessary for carefully selected members with end-stage cardiac and pulmonary disease including, but not limited to, one of the following diagnoses:

• irreversible primary pulmonary hypertension with heart failure;
• non-specific severe pulmonary fibrosis, with severe heart failure;
• Eisenmenger complex with irreversible pulmonary hypertension and heart failure;
• cystic fibrosis with severe heart failure;
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with heart failure;
• emphysema with severe heart failure;
• pulmonary fibrosis with uncontrollable pulmonary hypertension or heart failure.

General Criteria
The factors below are potential contraindications subject to the judgment of the transplant center:

• Known current malignancy, including metastatic cancer
• Recent malignancy with high risk of recurrence
• Untreated systemic infection making immunosuppression unsafe, including chronic infection
• Other irreversible end-stage disease not attributed to heart or lung disease
• History of cancer with a moderate risk of recurrence
• Systemic disease that could be exacerbated by immunosuppression
• Psychosocial conditions or chemical dependency affecting ability to adhere to therapy.

Specific criteria for prioritizing donor thoracic organs for transplant are provided by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and implemented through a contract with UNOS. Donor thoracic organs are prioritized by UNOS on the basis of recipient medical urgency, distance from donor hospital, and pediatric status. Patients who are most severely ill (status 1A) are given highest priority.

The following factors are considered in assessing the severity of cardiac illness: reliance on continuous mechanical ventilation, infusion of intravenous inotropes, and/or dependency on mechanical circulatory support (i.e., total artificial heart, intra-aortic balloon pump, extracorporeal membrane oxygenator, ventricular assist device). Factors considered in assessing the severity of pulmonary illness include increased pulmonary artery systolic pressure (>60 mm Hg), pulmonary arterial hypertension, and/or elevated pulmonary vascular resistance.

Additional criteria may be considered in pediatric patients, including diagnosis of a OPTN-approved congenital heart disease diagnosis, presence of ductal dependent pulmonary or systemic circulation, and diagnosis of hypertrophic or restrictive cardiomyopathy while less than 1 year old. Of note, pediatric heart transplant candidates who remain on the waiting list at the time of their 18th birthday without receiving a transplant continue to qualify for medical urgency status based on the pediatric criteria.

In both adult and pediatric patients, isolated cardiac or pulmonary transplantations are preferred to combined heart/lung transplantation when medical or surgical management—other than organ transplantation—is available.

Full OPTN guidelines are available online (at https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/governance/policies/).

Status 7 patients are considered temporarily unsuitable to receive a thoracic organ transplant.


Medicare Coverage:
There is no National Coverage Determination (NCD) or Local Coverage determination (LCD) specific to Heart/lung transplantation or multi-organ transplantation. Certain organ transplantation is covered under Medicare when performed in a facility that is approved by Medicare as meeting institutional coverage criteria. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers these organ transplants under certain conditions at Medicare-certified facilities: Heart, Lung, Heart/Lung,Kidney, Pancreas, Liver and Intestinal/Multi-visceral. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers doctor services for certain organ transplants.

For information and eligibility for heart transplant, refer to National Coverage Determination (NCD) for Heart Transplants (260.9). Available to be accessed at CMS National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) Alphabetical Index search page: https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/indexes/ncd-alphabetical-index.aspx.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has stated that under certain limited cases, exceptions to the criteria may be warranted if there is justification and if the facility ensures safety and efficacy objectives.

Medicare Claims Processing Manual Chapter 3 - Inpatient Hospital Billing. Available at: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/downloads/clm104c03.pdf

Medicaid Coverage:
For members enrolled in Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare plans, Horizon BCBSNJ applies the above medical policy

FIDE-SNP Coverage:
For members enrolled in a Fully Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (FIDE-SNP): (1) to the extent the service is covered under the Medicare portion of the member’s benefit package, the above Medicare Coverage statement applies; and (2) to the extent the service is not covered under the Medicare portion of the member’s benefit package, the above Medicaid Coverage statement applies.

[RATIONALE: This policy was created in 2009 and has been updated regularly with searches of the PubMed database. The most recent literature update was performed through June 10, 2019.

Evidence reviews assess the clinical evidence to determine whether the use of technology improves the net health outcome. Broadly defined, health outcomes are the length of life, quality of life, and ability to function-including benefits and harms. Every clinical condition has specific outcomes that are important to patients and managing the course of that condition. Validated outcome measures are necessary to ascertain whether a condition improves or worsens; and whether the magnitude of that change is clinically significant. The net health outcome is a balance of benefits and harms.

To assess whether the evidence is sufficient to draw conclusions about the net health outcome of technology, two domains are examined: the relevance, and quality and credibility. To be relevant, studies must represent one or more intended clinical use of the technology in the intended population and compare an effective and appropriate alternative at a comparable intensity. For some conditions, the alternative will be supportive care or surveillance. The quality and credibility of the evidence depend on study design and conduct, minimizing bias and confounding that can generate incorrect findings. The randomized controlled trial is preferred to assess efficacy; however, in some circumstances, nonrandomized studies may be adequate. Randomized controlled trials are rarely large enough or long enough to capture less common adverse events and long-term effects. Other types of studies can be used for these purposes and to assess generalizability to broader clinical populations and settings of clinical practice.

Due to the nature of the disease condition, there are no randomized controlled trials comparing heart/lung transplant with alternatives. Systematic reviews are based on case series and registry data. The extant randomized controlled trials compare surgical technique, infection prophylaxis, and immunosuppressive therapy and are not germane to this policy.

Prioritization of Candidates

Patients who are eligible for heart/lung transplantation can be listed under both the heart and lung allocation systems in the U. S. In 2005, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) changed the method by which lungs were allocated, from one based on length of time on the waiting list to a system that incorporates the severity of the patient's underlying disease, as well as the likelihood of survival.^4, However, it has been noted that the individual systems underestimate the severity of illness in patients with both end-stage heart and lung failure, and modification of the lung allocation score can be appealed for patients who meet the following criteria^5,:

• Deterioration of optimal therapy, and
• Right arterial pressure greater than 15 mm Hg or
• Cardiac index less than 1.8 L/min/m².

Yusen et al (2016) analyzed data on heart/lung transplantations performed among adults between 1982 and 2015 using the registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT).^2, Among the 3397 heart/lung transplant recipients for whom the diagnosis was reported, 35% had congenital heart disease (CHD), 27% had pulmonary arterial hypertension, and 14% had cystic fibrosis as the primary indication. There has been a shift in indications for heart/lung transplantation over time. From 2004 to 2015, CHD (35%), pulmonary arterial hypertension (27%), and cardiomyopathy (11%) were the 3 most common indications for heart/lung transplantation. Of the 883 heart/lung transplant recipients during 2004 and 2015, 36% were 18 to 34 years old, 40% were 35 to 49 years old, and 24% were 50 years or older.

Pediatric Considerations

In an analysis of data from the OPTN, Spahr and West (2014) provided indications for pediatric heart/lung transplantation.^7, The number of pediatric heart/lung transplants has decreased in recent years (56 cases from 1993 to 1997; 32 cases from 2008 to 2013). The 3 most common indications for pediatric heart/lung transplant were primary pulmonary hypertension (n=55), CHD (n=37), and Eisenmenger syndrome (n=30). However, while 30 children received a heart/lung transplant for Eisenmenger syndrome through 2002, no transplants for this syndrome have been performed since then. Pediatric heart/lung transplants have also been performed for other indications, including alpha₁-antitrypsin deficiency, pulmonary vascular disease, cystic fibrosis, and dilated cardiomyopathy.

Using ISHLT Registry data, Benden et al (2012) reported on pediatric heart/lung transplant data collected through June 2011.^8, Overall survival (OS) rates after heart/lung transplants are comparable in children (median half-life, 4.7 years) and adults (median half-life, 5.3 years). For pediatric heart/lung transplants performed between 1990 and 2010, the 5-year survival rate was 49%. The two leading causes of death in the first year after transplantation were a non-cytomegalovirus infection and graft failure. Beyond three years posttransplant, the major cause of death was bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. An updated report by Benden et al (2014) on pediatric lung and heart/lung transplant from the same registry did not include updated data on pediatric heart/lung transplants due to the small number of patients available.^9,

Initial Combined Heart/Lung Transplant

Clinical Context and Therapy Purpose

The purpose of combined heart/lung transplant in patients who have an end-stage cardiac and pulmonary disease is to provide a treatment option that is an alternative to or an improvement on existing therapies.

The question addressed in this policy is: Does a combined heart/lung transplant improve the net health outcome in patients who have end-stage cardiac and pulmonary disease?

The following PICOs were used to select literature to inform this policy.

Patients

The relevant population of interest are patients with end-stage cardiac and pulmonary disease.

Interventions

The therapy being considered is a combined heart/lung transplant.

Comparators

The following practices are currently being used to make decisions about end-stage cardiac and pulmonary disease: medical management, double-lung transplant, and single-lung transplant.

Outcomes

The general outcomes of interest are OS , graft failure, improved function, and adverse events (e.g., infections). Follow-up after surgery focuses on monitoring for graft failure. Long-term follow-up can continue out to three to five years and beyond.

Registry Studies and Case Series

Yusen et al (2016) reported on the survival of adult heart/lung transplant recipients using the ISHLT database.^2, Among the 3775 primary heart/lung transplants performed during 1982 and 2014, the 3- month, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year survival rates were 71%, 63%, 52%, 45%, and 32%, respectively. The overall median survival during this period (1982-2014) was 3.4 years. Those who survived to 1 year had a conditional median survival of 10.3 years. Survival improved over time, with a median survival of 2.1 years for patients (n=1596) who received the transplant between 1982 and 1993, 3.9 years for patients (n=1392) between 1994 and 2003, and 5.8 years for patients between 2004 and 2014 (n=843) (p<0.05 for all pairwise comparisons). Heart/lung transplant recipients in the 2004 to 2014 group had a median conditional survival beyond 10 years. Compared with lung-only transplantation (median conditional survival, 8.0 years), heart/lung transplant recipients had a better long-term survival (median conditional survival, 10.3 years).

Hill et al (2015) compared survival following heart/lung transplantation with double-lung transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension among adult transplant recipients in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database during 1987 and 2012.^10, Among the 928 idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension patients, 667 underwent double-lung transplantation, and 261 underwent heart/lung transplantation. Overall, the adjusted survival was similar between double-lung transplantation and heart/lung transplant recipients. However, for recipients hospitalized in the intensive care unit, double-lung transplantation was associated with worse outcomes than heart/lung transplantation recipients (hazard ratio [HR], 1.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 3.28).

Jayarajan et al (2014) compared the mortality rates (at 1 month and 5 years posttransplant) of heart/lung transplant recipients who required pretransplant ventilation (n=22) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO; n=15) with controls.^11, Median survival times were 10 days, 181 days, and 1547 days among patients with pretransplant ECMO, patients with a mechanical ventilator, and the control group, respectively. Patients with pretransplant ECMO had poorer survival than the control group at 30 days (20.0% vs 83.5%) and 5 years (20.0% vs 47.4%; p<0.001). Similarly, patients requiring ventilation prior transplantation had worse survival at 1 month (77.3% vs 83.5%) and 5 years (26.5% vs 47.4%; p<0.001) compared with the control group. The use of ECMO (HR=3.82; 95% CI, 1.60 to 9.12; p=0.003) or mechanical ventilation (HR=2.01; 95% CI, 1.07 to 3.78; p=0.030) as a bridge to transplantation was independently associated with mortality on multivariate analysis. The findings of the study raise concern whether combined heart/lung transplant should be carried out in patients requiring ECMO; further, the findings suggest a need for additional research to improve survival in this high-risk group of patients.

Pediatric Considerations

Goldfarb et al (2016) reported on the survival of pediatric lung and heart/lung transplant recipients using the ISHLT database.^12, Among the 698 pediatric heart/lung transplant recipients, median survival was 3.0 years, and conditional median survival was 7.8 years. There was no statistically significant difference in survival by indication, recipient age group, or time period of transplant for pediatric heart/lung transplant recipients.

Keeshan et al (2014) assessed outcomes for pediatric heart/lung transplantation between children who had CHD with and without Eisenmenger syndrome using the UNOS database of heart/lung transplantations performed from 1987 to 2011.^13, Among the 178 pediatric heart/lung transplantations performed during that period, 73 (41%) had cardiac etiologies and 69 (38%) had idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension as the primary diagnosis. Among the patients with cardiac etiologies, CHD was the most common diagnosis (n=65). Children with CHD without Eisenmenger syndrome (n=34) had a lower median survival (1.31 years) than children with CHD plus Eisenmenger syndrome (n=31; median survival, 4.80 years; p=0.05). On multivariable analysis, CHD without Eisenmenger syndrome (adjusted HR=1.69; 95% CI, 1.09 to 2.62), younger age (adjusted HR=1.04; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.08), pretransplant mechanical ventilation (adjusted HR=1.75; 95% CI, 1.01 to 3.06), pretransplant ECMO (adjusted HR=3.07; 95% CI, 1.32 to 7.12), pretransplant panel reactive antibodies (adjusted HR=1.53; 95% CI, 1.06 to 2.20), and transplant era (adjusted HR=1.85; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.94) were associated with graft failure.

Section Summary: Initial Heart/Lung Transplant

Data from transplantation registries have found longer patient survival rates after initial heart/lung transplant among adult and pediatric patients over time. The net benefit of heart transplantation compared with lung-only transplantation is also evident, especially among patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Heart/Lung Retransplantation

Clinical Context and Therapy Purpose

The purpose of combined heart/lung retransplants in patients who have had a combined heart/lung transplant complicated by graft failure or severe dysfunction of the heart/lungis to provide a treatment option that is an alternative to or an improvement on existing therapies.

The question addressed in this policy is: Does a combined heart/lung retransplant improve the net health outcome in patients whose combined heart/lung transplant has been complicated by graft failure or severe dysfunction of the heart/lung?

The following PICOs were used to select literature to inform this policy.

Patients

The relevant population of interest are patients with a combined heart/lung transplant complicated by graft failure or severe dysfunction of the heart/lung.

Interventions

The therapy being considered is a combined heart/lung retransplant.

Comparators

The following practices are currently being used to make decisions about a combined heart/lung transplant complicated by graft failure or severe dysfunction of the heart/lung: medical management, double-lung transplant, and single-lung transplant.

Outcomes

The general outcomes of interest are OS, graft failure, improved function, and adverse events (e.g., infections). Follow-up after surgery focuses on monitoring for graft failure. Long-term follow-up can continue out to three to five years and beyond.

Registry Studies

While uncommon, repeat heart/lung transplant procedures have been performed. Yusen et al (2014) reported on outcomes for adult heart/lung transplants, with a focus on retransplantation, using data from the ISHLT Registry.^14,From 1982 to 2012, 90 adults had a first heart/lung retransplant after a previous heart/lung transplant. These 90 patients had a median survival of 0.3 years, with unadjusted survival rates of 52%, 43%, 36%, and 27% at 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, respectively. Those who survived to one year had a conditional median survival of 7.9 years.

A study by Shuhaiber et al (2008) reviewed data from the UNOS registry.^15, They identified 799 primary heart/lung transplants and 19 repeat heart/lung transplants. Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the observed median survival times were 2.08 years after primary transplant and 0.34 years after repeat transplants. In addition, reviewers analyzed survival data in matched pairs of primary and repeat transplant patients, who were matched on a number of potentially confounding demographic and clinical characteristics. Matches were not available for four repeat transplant patients. For the 15 repeat transplant patients with primary transplant matches, survival time did not differ significantly between groups. Being on a ventilator was statistically significantly associated with decreased survival time. The main limitation of this analysis was the low number of repeat transplant procedures performed.

Section Summary: Heart/Lung Retransplant

Analysis has suggested that patients undergoing heart/lung retransplantation have a lower median survival compared with patients undergoing primary heart/lung transplantation. However, after controlling confounding variables, survival times did not differ significantly between groups. Also, the conditional mean survival of 7.9 years among those who survived to one year posttransplant would suggest a survival benefit of heart/lung retransplant.

Potential Contraindications to Heart/lung Transplant (Applies to All Indications)

Individual transplant centers may differ in their guidelines, and individual patient characteristics may vary within a specific condition. In general, heart transplantation is contraindicated in patients who are not expected to survive the procedure, or in whom patient-oriented outcomes (e.g., morbidity, mortality) are not expected to change due to comorbid conditions unaffected by transplantation (e.g., imminently terminal cancer, or another disease). Further, consideration is given to conditions in which the necessary immunosuppression would lead to hastened demise (e.g., active untreated infection). However, stable chronic infections have not always been shown to reduce life expectancy in heart transplant patients.

Malignancy

Pretransplant malignancy is considered a relative contraindication for heart transplantation given that malignancy has the potential to reduce life expectancy and could prohibit immune suppression after transplantation. However, with improved cancer survival and use of cardiotoxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the need for heart transplantation has increased in this population.

Mistiaen et al (2015) conducted a systematic review to study the posttransplant outcomes for pretransplant malignancy patients. Most selected studies were small case series (median sample size, 17 patients; range, 7-1117 patients; mean age, 6-52 years).^16, Hematologic malignancy and breast cancer were the most common types of pretransplant malignancies. Dilated, congestive, or idiopathic cardiomyopathy were the most common reasons for transplantation in four case series, chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy was the most important reason for transplantation in the other series. Hospital mortality rates ranged between 0% and 33%, with small sample sizes potentially explaining the observed variation. A large series by Oliveira et al (2012) reported similar short- and long-term posttransplant survival rates for chemotherapy-related (n=232) and other nonischemic cardiomyopathy (n=8890) patients.^17, The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 86%, 79%, and 71% for patients with chemotherapy-related cardiomyopathy compared with 87%, 81%, and 74% for other transplant patients, respectively. Further, 2-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates among pretransplant malignancy patients were found to be comparable with other transplant patients. In addition to the non-malignancy-related factors such as cardiac, pulmonary, and renal dysfunction, two malignancy-related factors were identified as independent predictors of five-year survival. A malignancy-free interval (the interval between treatment of cancer and heart transplantation) of less than 1 year was associated with lower 5-year survival (<60%) than with a longer interval (>75%).

Patients with prior hematologic malignancies had increased posttransplant mortality in three small series. For example, as reported by Sigurdardottir et al (2012) Recurrence of malignancy was more frequent among patients with a shorter disease-free interval: 63%, 26%, and 6% among patients with less than 1 year, 1 to 5 years, and more than 5 years of disease-free interval, respectively.^18,

Yoosabai et al (2015) conducted a retrospective review of 23171 heart transplant recipients in the OPTN/UNOS database to identify whether pretransplant malignancy increased the risk of posttransplant malignancy.^19, Posttransplant malignancy was diagnosed in 2673 (11.5%) recipients during the study period. A history of any pretransplant malignancy was associated with increased risk of overall posttransplant malignancy (subhazard ratio, 1.51; p<0.01), skin malignancies (subhazard ratio, 1.55; p<0.01), and solid organ malignancies (subhazard ratio, 1.54; p<0.01) on multivariate analysis.

Recurrence Risk

The evaluation of a candidate who has a history of cancer must consider the prognosis and risk of recurrence from available information including tumor type and stage, response to therapy, and time since therapy was completed. Although evidence is limited, patients in whom cancer is thought to be cured should not be excluded from consideration for transplant. The ISHLT guidelines have recommended stratifying each patient with pretransplant malignancy as to their risk of tumor recurrence and that cardiac transplantation should be considered when tumor recurrence is low based on tumor type, response to therapy, and negative metastatic workup. The guidelines also recommended that the specific amount of time to wait for transplant after neoplasm remission will depend on these factors and no arbitrary time period for observation should be used.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Aguero et al (2016) reported on a review on heart transplantation among HIV-infected patients.^20, Since 2001, 12 heart transplantations in patients with HIV infection have been reported and 3 patients acquired HIV after heart transplantation. Fourteen (93%) of these 15 patients were younger than 50 years of age, with cluster of differentiation 4 counts greater than 200 cells/mm³, and all of them were taking antiretroviral therapy. Thirteen were alive with normal graft function at the end of follow-up. One patient had suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy and died of multiorgan failure. The cause of death in the other patient was not reported. There are few data directly comparing outcomes for patients with and without HIV or for combined heart/lung transplants.

Current OPTN policy permits HIV-positive transplant candidates.^6,

The British HIV Association and the British Transplantation Society (2017) updated their guidelines on kidney transplantation in patients with HIV disease.^21,These criteria may be extrapolated to other organs:

• Adherent with treatment, particularly antiretroviral therapy
• Cluster of differentiation 4 count greater than 100 cells/mL (ideally >200 cells/mL) for at least 3 months
• Undetectable HIV viremia (<50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL) for at least 6 months
• No opportunistic infections for at least six months
• No history of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, chronic intestinal cryptosporidiosis, or lymphoma.

Considerations for heart transplantation and lung transplantation alone may also pertain to combined heart/lung transplantation. For example, cystic fibrosis accounts for most pediatric candidates for heart/lung transplantation, and infection with Burkholderia species is associated with higher mortality in these patients.

Summary of Evidence

For individuals who have end-stage cardiac and pulmonary disease who receive combined heart/lung transplant, the evidence includes case series and registry data. The relevant outcomes are OS, symptoms, morbid events, and treatment-related morbidity and mortality. The available literature reports on outcomes after heart/lung transplantation. Given the exceedingly poor expected survival rates without transplantation, this evidence is sufficient to demonstrate that heart/lung transplantation provides a survival benefit in appropriately selected patients. A transplant may be the only option for some patients with end-stage cardiopulmonary disease. Heart/lung transplant is contraindicated for patients in whom the procedure is expected to be futile due to comorbid disease or for whom posttransplantation care is expected to worsen comorbid conditions significantly. The evidence is sufficient to determine that the technology results in a meaningful improvement in the net health outcome.

For individuals who have a combined heart/lung transplant complicated by graft failure or severe dysfunction of the heart/lung and who receive a combined heart/lung retransplant, the evidence includes case series and registry data. The relevant outcomes are OS, symptoms, morbid events, and treatment-related morbidity and mortality. A very limited amount of data has suggested that, after controlling for confounding variables, survival rates after primary and repeat heart/lung transplants are similar. Findings are inconclusive due to the small number of cases of repeat heart/lung transplants reported in the published literature. Repeat heart/lung transplantation is, however, likely to improve outcomes in patients with a prior failed transplant who meet the clinical criteria for heart/lung transplantation. The evidence is sufficient to determine that the technology results in a meaningful improvement in the net health outcome.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Practice Guidelines and Position Statements

The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (2014) updated its consensus-based guidelines on the selection of lung transplant recipients.^22, These guidelines made the following statements about lung transplantation:

"Lung transplantation should be considered for adults with chronic, end-stage lung disease who meet all the following general criteria:

• High (>50%) risk of death from lung disease within 2 years if lung transplantation is not performed.
• High (>80%) likelihood of surviving at least 90 days after lung transplantation.
• High (>80%) likelihood of 5-year post-transplant survival from a general medical perspective provided that there is adequate graft function."

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations

Not applicable.

Ongoing and Unpublished Clinical Trials

A search of ClinicalTrials.gov in June 2019 did not identify any ongoing or unpublished trials that would likely influence this review.]
________________________________________________________________________________________

Horizon BCBSNJ Medical Policy Development Process:

This Horizon BCBSNJ Medical Policy (the “Medical Policy”) has been developed by Horizon BCBSNJ’s Medical Policy Committee (the “Committee”) consistent with generally accepted standards of medical practice, and reflects Horizon BCBSNJ’s view of the subject health care services, supplies or procedures, and in what circumstances they are deemed to be medically necessary or experimental/ investigational in nature. This Medical Policy also considers whether and to what degree the subject health care services, supplies or procedures are clinically appropriate, in terms of type, frequency, extent, site and duration and if they are considered effective for the illnesses, injuries or diseases discussed. Where relevant, this Medical Policy considers whether the subject health care services, supplies or procedures are being requested primarily for the convenience of the covered person or the health care provider. It may also consider whether the services, supplies or procedures are more costly than an alternative service or sequence of services, supplies or procedures that are at least as likely to produce equivalent therapeutic or diagnostic results as to the diagnosis or treatment of the relevant illness, injury or disease. In reaching its conclusion regarding what it considers to be the generally accepted standards of medical practice, the Committee reviews and considers the following: all credible scientific evidence published in peer-reviewed medical literature generally recognized by the relevant medical community, physician and health care provider specialty society recommendations, the views of physicians and health care providers practicing in relevant clinical areas (including, but not limited to, the prevailing opinion within the appropriate specialty) and any other relevant factor as determined by applicable State and Federal laws and regulations.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Index:
Heart/Lung Transplant
Heart Transplant
Heart Transplantation
Lung Transplant
Lung Transplantation
Transplant, Heart/Lung
Transplant, Heart
Transplant, Lung
Transplantation, Lung/Heart

References:
1. Christie JD, Edwards LB, Kucheryavaya AY, et al. The Registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation: twenty-seventh official adult lung and heart-lung transplant report--2010. J Heart Lung Transplant. Oct 2010;29(10):1104-1118. PMID 20870165.

2. Yusen RD, Edwards LB, Dipchand AI, et al. The Registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation: Thirty-third Adult Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant Report-2016; Focus Theme: Primary Diagnostic Indications for Transplant. J Heart Lung Transplant. Oct 2016;35(10):1170-1184. PMID 27772669.

3. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). View Data Reports. n.d.; https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/. Accessed August 29, 2019.

4. Kalogeropoulos AP, Georgiopoulou VV, Giamouzis G, et al. Utility of the Seattle Heart Failure Model in patients with advanced heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol. Jan 27 2009;53(4):334-342. PMID 19161882.

5. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Heart/Lung: Submitting LAS exception requests for candidates diagnosed with PH. 2018; https://transplantpro.org/news/thoracic/submitting-las-exception-requests-for- candidates-diagnosed-with-ph-2/. Accessed August 29, 2019.

6. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Policies. 2018; https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/media/1200/optn_policies.pdf. Accessed August 29, 2019.

7. Spahr JE, West SC. Heart-lung transplantation: pediatric indications and outcomes. J Thorac Dis. Aug 2014;6(8):1129-1137. PMID 25132980.

8. Benden C, Edwards LB, Kucheryavaya AY, et al. The Registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation: fifteenth pediatric lung and heart-lung transplantation report-2012. J Heart Lung Transplant. Oct 2012;31(10):1087-1095. PMID 22975098.

9. Benden C, Goldfarb SB, Edwards LB, et al. The Registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation: seventeenth official pediatric lung and heart-lung transplantation report--2014; focus theme: retransplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. Oct 2014;33(10):1025-1033. PMID 25242126.

10. Hill C, Maxwell B, Boulate D, et al. Heart-lung vs. double-lung transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Clin Transplant. Dec 2015;29(12):1067-1075. PMID 26358537.

11. Jayarajan SN, Taghavi S, Komaroff E, et al. Impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or mechanical ventilation as bridge to combined heart-lung transplantation on short-term and long-term survival. Transplantation. Jan 15 2014;97(1):111-115. PMID 24056630.

12. Goldfarb SB, Levvey BJ, Edwards LB, et al. The Registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation: Nineteenth Pediatric Lung and Heart-Lung Transplantation Report-2016; Focus Theme: Primary Diagnostic Indications for Transplant. J Heart Lung Transplant. Oct 2016;35(10):1196-1205. PMID 27772671.

13. Keeshan BC, Goldfarb SB, Lin KY, et al. Impact of congenital heart disease on outcomes of pediatric heart-lung transplantation. Pediatr Transplant. Mar 2014;18(2):204-210. PMID 24373099.

14. Yusen RD, Edwards LB, Kucheryavaya AY, et al. The registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation: thirty-first adult lung and heart-lung transplant report--2014; focus theme: retransplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. Oct 2014;33(10):1009-1024. PMID 25242125.

15. Shuhaiber JH, Kim JB, Gibbons RD. Repeat heart-lung transplantation outcome in the United States. J Heart Lung Transplant. Oct 2008;27(10):1122-1127. PMID 18926404.

16. Mistiaen WP. Heart transplantation in patients with previous malignancy. An overview. Acta Cardiol. Apr 2015;70(2):123-130. PMID 26148371.

17. Oliveira GH, Hardaway BW, Kucheryavaya AY, et al. Characteristics and survival of patients with chemotherapy- induced cardiomyopathy undergoing heart transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. Aug 2012;31(8):805-810. PMID 22551930.

18. Sigurdardottir V, Bjortuft O, Eiskjaer H, et al. Long-term follow-up of lung and heart transplant recipients with pre- transplant malignancies. J Heart Lung Transplant. Dec 2012;31(12):1276-1280. PMID 23089300.

19. Yoosabai A, Mehta A, Kang W, et al. Pretransplant malignancy as a risk factor for posttransplant malignancy after heart transplantation. Transplantation. Feb 2015;99(2):345-350. PMID 25606783.

20. Aguero F, Castel MA, Cocchi S, et al. An update on heart transplantation in human immunodeficiency virus- infected patients. Am J Transplant. Jan 2016;16(1):21-28. PMID 26523614.

21. Working Party of the British Transplantation Society. Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation in Patients with HIV. Second Edition (Revised). British Transplantation Society Guidelines. Macclesfield, UK: British Transplantation Society; 2017.

22. Weill D, Benden C, Corris PA, et al. A consensus document for the selection of lung transplant candidates: 2014- -an update from the Pulmonary Transplantation Council of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. Jan 2015;34(1):1-15. PMID 25085497.

23. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Decision Memo for TRANSPLANT Centers: Re-Evaluation of Criteria for Medicare Approval (CAG-00061N). 2000; https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage- database/details/nca-decision-memo.aspx?NCAId=75&NcaName=Transplant+Centers*3a%24+Re- Evaluation+of+Criteria+for+Medicare+Approval&CoverageSelection=National&KeyWord=transplant&KeyWordLo okUp=Title&KeyWordSearchType=And&bc=gAAAABAAEAAA&. Accessed August 29, 2019.

Codes:
(The list of codes is not intended to be all-inclusive and is included below for informational purposes only. Inclusion or exclusion of a procedure, diagnosis, drug or device code(s) does not constitute or imply authorization, certification, approval, offer of coverage or guarantee of payment.)

CPT*

33930
33933
33935