L29090 CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION

 

 

12/01/2011

 

 

Indications and Limitations of Coverage and/or Medical Necessity

 

Left Heart Catheterization (93452, 93458, 93459):

 

A left heart catheterization (typically includes coronary angiography and left ventricular angiography) will be considered medically necessary for asymptomatic patients with ANY of the following situations/conditions:

• There is evidence of high risk on non-invasive testing.

• Exercise ECG (electrocardiogram) testing documents an abnormal ST segment depression (magnitude equal to or greater than 1.0mm depression, persistent post-exercise changes (5 minutes), depression in multiple leads).

OR

• Ischemia at low threshold on stress-testing suggests adverse prognosis and should be included along with the other indicators.

• An abnormal systolic blood pressure response during progressive exercise, with sustained decrease of greater than 10mmHg or flat blood pressure (less than or equal to 130mmHg); associated with ECG evidence of ischemia.

OR

• Other potentially important determinant such as exercise induced ST segment elevation in leads other than aVR or exercise induced ventricular tachycardia.

• Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy documents any demonstrable perfusion defect, or an abnormal blood flow distribution in the anterior wall or more than one vascular region at rest or with exercise, or an abnormal distribution (ischemia) associated with increased lung uptake produced by exercise in the absence of severely depressed left ventricular function at rest.

• Radionuclide ventriculography documents a fall in ventricular ejection fraction of greater than or equal to 10% during exercise, or left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 50% at exercise or rest when suspected to be due to coronary artery disease.

• After successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest that occurred without obvious precipitating cause, when a reasonable suspicion of coronary artery disease exists.

• The presence of one or more major risk factors (e.g., diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, hyperlipidemia, family history) and a positive exercise test in patients without known coronary heart disease.

• The presence of prior myocardial infarction with normal left ventricular function at rest, and evidence of ischemia by non-invasive testing.

• After coronary bypass surgery or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty when there is evidence of ischemia by non-invasive testing.

• Before high risk noncardiac surgery in patients who have evidence of ischemia by non-invasive testing.

• Periodic evaluation of patients after cardiac transplantation.

• A left heart catheterization (typically includes coronary angiography and left ventricular angiography) will be considered medically necessary for symptomatic patients with any of the following situations/conditions:

o Angina pectoris that has proven inadequately responsive to medical treatment, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and thrombolytic therapy or coronary bypass surgery. "Inadequately responsive" is taken to mean that patient and physician agree that angina significantly interferes with a patient's occupation or ability to perform his or her usual activities.

o Unstable angina pectoris defined as:

 Increased severity and frequency of chronic angina pectoris within the past two months, despite medical management, including onset of angina at rest.

 New onset (within two months) of angina pectoris which is severe or increases despite medical treatment.

 Acute coronary insufficiency, with pain at rest usually of greater than or equal to 15 minutes duration, associated with ST-T wave changes, within the preceding two weeks.

• Prinzmetal's or variant angina pectoris (pain experienced at rest).

• Any angina pectoris in association with ANY of the following:

o Evidence of high risk as manifested by exercise ECG testing in addition to failure to complete Stage II of Bruce protocol or equivalent workload (less than or equal to 6.5 METS with other protocols) due to ischemic cardiac symptoms.

OR

o Exercise heart rate at onset of limiting ischemia symptoms of less than 120/minute (without beta blockers).

OR

o Evidence of high risk/perfusion defect as manifested by radionuclide exercise pharmacologic testing (myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, radionuclide ventriculography, or focal metabolic abnormality or mismatch).

o The coexistence of a history of myocardial infarction, a history of hypertension and ST segment depression on the baseline ECG.

o Intolerance to medical therapy because of uncontrollable side effects.

o Episodic pulmonary edema or symptoms of ventricular failure without obvious cause.

o Any angina pectoris associated with a series of progressively more abnormal exercise ECG or other non-invasive stress test.

o Any angina pectoris in a patient that cannot be risk stratified by other means as a result of an inability to exercise because of an amputation, arthritis, limb deformity, or severe peripheral vascular disease.

 

A left heart catheterization (typically includes coronary angiography and left ventricular angiography) will be considered medically necessary for atypical chest pain* of uncertain etiology with ANY of the following situations/conditions:

• (*For the purpose of this policy, atypical chest pain is defined as single or recurrent episodes of chest pain suggestive, but NOT typical, of the pain of myocardial ischemia.

o This discomfort may have some features of ischemic pain together with features of noncardiac pain.

o Chest pain that has no features of cardiac pain, as well as typical chest pain of myocardial ischemia or angina as determined by a careful medical history, is excluded from definition.)

• Atypical chest pain when ECG or radionuclide stress test indicates that coronary disease may be present.

• When the presence of atypical chest pain due to coronary artery spasm is suspected.

• When there are associated symptoms or signs of abnormal left ventricular function or failure.

• Atypical chest pain when non-invasive studies are questionable or cannot be adequately performed.

• When non-invasive tests are negative but symptoms are severe and management requires that significant coronary artery disease be excluded.

A left heart catheterization (typically includes coronary angiography and left ventricular angiography) will be considered medically necessary after a myocardial infarction with ANY of the following situations/conditions:

• Angina pectoris occurring at rest or with minimal activity.

• In selected patients, heart failure during the evolving phase, or left ventricular ejection fraction 45%, primarily when associated with some manifestation of recurrent myocardial ischemia or with significant ventricular arrhythmias.

• Evidence of myocardial ischemia on laboratory testing:

o exercise induced ischemia (with or without exercise induced angina pectoris),

 Manifested by greater than or equal to 1 mm of ischemic ST segment depression.

OR

 Exercise induced reversible radionuclide perfusion defect or defects.

OR

 Exercise induced reduction in the ejection fraction or wall motion abnormalities on radionuclide ventriculographic studies.

• Non-Q-wave myocardial infarction.

• Mild angina pectoris.

• A past history of documented myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris, or both present greater than six months before the current infarction.

• Thrombolytic therapy during the evolving phase, particularly with evidence of reperfusion.

 

A left heart catheterization (typically includes coronary angiography and left ventricular angiography) will be considered medically necessary for valvular heart disease with ANY of the following situations/conditions:

• When valve surgery is being considered suggesting coronary artery disease.

• When valve surgery is being considered in female patients who are postmenopausal.

• When aortic or mitral valve surgery is being considered.

• When one or more major risk factors for coronary artery disease are present: heavy smoking history, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, strong family history of premature coronary artery disease.

• When reoperation for aortic or mitral valve disease is being considered in patients who have not had coronary angiography for one year or more.

• In the presence of infective endocarditis when there is evidence for coronary embolism.

 

A left heart catheterization (typically includes coronary angiography and left ventricular angiography) will be considered medically necessary for ANY of the following conditions:

• In disease affecting the aorta when knowledge of the presence or extent of coronary artery involvement is necessary for management (for example, the presence of aortic aneurysm or ascending aortic dissection), arteritis coronary (various forms) or homozygous type II hypercholesterolemia in which coronary artery involvement is suspected.

• The presence of left ventricular failure without obvious cause and adequate left ventricular systolic function.

• When patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have angina pectoris uncontrolled by medical therapy, or are to undergo surgery or alcohol ablation treatment for outflow obstruction.

• The presence of cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, pericarditis.

• Recent blunt trauma to the chest and evidence of acute ischemia/contusion myocardial infarction in patients who have no evidence of preexisting coronary artery disease.

• When patients are to undergo other cardiac surgical procedures, such as pericardiectomy or removal of chronic pulmonary emboli.

 

Right Heart Catheterization (93451, 93456, 93457):

Right heart catheterization is not routinely part of coronary angiography, but is an associated procedure in a significant number of patients.

This procedure should be performed under the following circumstances:

• Patients with known history of:

o Congestive heart failure.

o Peripheral edema.

o Ascites.

• Patients with cardiomyopathy documented by non-invasive workup.

• Patients with known or suspected valvular heart disease.

• Patients with known or suspected intracardiac shunt (e.g., atrial-septal defect [ASD], ventricular-septal defect [VSD]).

• Patients with previous myocardial infarction.

• Patients with unexplained symptoms (e.g., shortness of breath), suspected to have cardiac origin.

• Patients in whom pulmonary artery disease is known or suspected (e.g., pulmonary hypertension, status post pulmonary emboli).

• Evaluate status of cardiac transplant patients.

Combined Heart Catheterization (93453, 93460, 93461):

In conjunction with left heart catheterization, right heart catheterization can be useful in providing cardiac output and hemodynamics that may be important therapeutic directives.

• Extra Cardiac Angiography performed with Cardiac Catheterization (75724, 36245).

• 75724 Angiography, renal, bilateral, selective (including flush aortogram), radiological supervision and interpretation.

• 36245 Selective catheter placement, arterial system; each first order abdominal, pelvic, or lower extremity artery branch, within a vascular family.

• Extra Cardiac Angiography is sometimes reported with cardiac catheterization.

o These services include interrogation of the abdominal plus iliofemoral artery, abdominal aorta, carotid and renal arteries.

• However, such services are generally not indicated.

o Medical necessity must be documented in the medical record.

 

 

CPT/HCPCS Codes

 

93451 RIGHT HEART CATHETERIZATION INCLUDING MEASUREMENT(S) OF OXYGEN SATURATION AND CARDIAC OUTPUT, WHEN PERFORMED

 

93452 LEFT HEART CATHETERIZATION INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR LEFT VENTRICULOGRAPHY, IMAGING SUPERVISION AND INTERPRETATION, WHEN PERFORMED

 

93453 COMBINED RIGHT AND LEFT HEART CATHETERIZATION INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR LEFT VENTRICULOGRAPHY, IMAGING SUPERVISION AND INTERPRETATION, WHEN PERFORMED

 

93456 CATHETER PLACEMENT IN CORONARY ARTERY(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, IMAGING SUPERVISION AND INTERPRETATION; WITH RIGHT HEART CATHETERIZATION

 

93457 CATHETER PLACEMENT IN CORONARY ARTERY(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, IMAGING SUPERVISION AND INTERPRETATION; WITH CATHETER PLACEMENT(S) IN BYPASS GRAFT(S) (INTERNAL MAMMARY, FREE ARTERIAL, VENOUS GRAFTS) INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR BYPASS GRAFT ANGIOGRAPHY AND RIGHT HEART CATHETERIZATION

 

93458 CATHETER PLACEMENT IN CORONARY ARTERY(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, IMAGING SUPERVISION AND INTERPRETATION; WITH LEFT HEART CATHETERIZATION INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR LEFT VENTRICULOGRAPHY, WHEN PERFORMED

 

93459 CATHETER PLACEMENT IN CORONARY ARTERY(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, IMAGING SUPERVISION AND INTERPRETATION; WITH LEFT HEART CATHETERIZATION INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR LEFT VENTRICULOGRAPHY, WHEN PERFORMED, CATHETER PLACEMENT(S) IN BYPASS GRAFT(S) (INTERNAL MAMMARY, FREE ARTERIAL, VENOUS GRAFTS) WITH BYPASS GRAFT ANGIOGRAPHY

 

93460 CATHETER PLACEMENT IN CORONARY ARTERY(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, IMAGING SUPERVISION AND INTERPRETATION; WITH RIGHT AND LEFT HEART CATHETERIZATION INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR LEFT VENTRICULOGRAPHY, WHEN PERFORMED

 

93461 CATHETER PLACEMENT IN CORONARY ARTERY(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY, IMAGING SUPERVISION AND INTERPRETATION; WITH RIGHT AND LEFT HEART CATHETERIZATION INCLUDING INTRAPROCEDURAL INJECTION(S) FOR LEFT VENTRICULOGRAPHY, WHEN PERFORMED, CATHETER PLACEMENT(S) IN BYPASS GRAFT(S) (INTERNAL MAMMARY, FREE ARTERIAL, VENOUS GRAFTS) WITH BYPASS GRAFT ANGIOGRAPHY

 

 

Treatment Logic

 

• Cardiac catheterization is a technique in which a flexible catheter is passed along veins or arteries into the heart and associated vessels for the measurement of physiological data and imaging of the heart and great vessels.

• This technique is utilized when there is a need to confirm the presence of a clinically suspected condition, define its anatomical and physiological severity, and determine the presence of associated conditions.

• This need most commonly arises when clinical assessment suggests that the patient may benefit from an interventional procedure (e.g., coronary angioplasty, balloon valvuloplasty or heart surgery).

 

 

Sources of Information and Basis for Decision

 

FCSO LCD 29090, Cardiac Catheterization, 12/01/2011. The official local coverage determination (LCD) is the version on the Medicare coverage database at www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/ .

 

Scanlon, P.J., and et al. (1999). ACC/AHA Guidelines for Coronary Angiography. Executive summary and recommendations. Circulation 2345-2357.

Advisory Committee Meeting Notes

 

 

AMA CPT / ADA CDT Copyright Statement

CPT codes, descriptions and other data only are copyright 2011 American Medical Association (or such other date of publication of CPT). All Rights Reserved. Applicable FARS/DFARS Clauses Apply. Current Dental Terminology, (CDT) (including procedure codes, nomenclature, descriptors and other data contained therein) is copyright by the American Dental Association. © 2002, 2004 American Dental Association. All rights reserved. Applicable FARS/DFARS apply.

 

 

Local Coverage Determination (LCD) - L29090 CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION