TABLE 6

US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services indications for intestinal transplant

1. Failure of parenteral nutrition
Impending liver failure (total bilirubin 3–6 mg/dL, progressive thrombocytopenia, progressive splenomegaly) or overt liver failure (portal hypertension, hepatosplenomegaly, hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis) because of liver injury from parenteral nutrition
Central venous catheter-related thrombosis of two central veins
Frequent central line sepsis: 2 episodes/year of systemic sepsis secondary to line infections requiring hospitalization; a single episode of line-related fungemia; septic shock or acute respiratory distress syndrome
Frequent episodes of severe dehydration despite intravenous fluid in addition to parenteral nutrition
2. High risk of death attributable to underlying disease
Desmoid tumors associated with familial adenomatous polyposis
Congenital mucosal disorders (eg, microvillus atrophy, intestinal epithelial dysplasia)
Ultra-short-bowel syndrome (gastrostomy, duodenostomy, residual small bowel ≤ 10 cm in infants and ≤ 20 cm in adults)
3. Intestinal failure with high morbidity or low acceptance of parenteral nutrition
Intestinal failure with high morbidity (frequent hospitalization, narcotic dependency) or inability to function (eg, pseudo-obstruction, high-output stoma)
Patient’s unwillingness to accept long-term parenteral nutrition (eg, young patients)
  • Adapted from information in reference 50.