Should all patients be optimized to the same preoperative hemoglobin level to avoid transfusion in primary knee arthroplasty?

This is an interesting observational study about the predictors of transfusion in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty at a hospital with a very low transfusion rate (7%) because of the use of tranexamic acid. The authors found in this population that RBC transfusion can be predicted on the basis of two readily available preoperative parameters, the ASA score and the Hb concentration. They propose a predictive model that can be useful in deciding whether or not to include an individual patient in preoperative Hb optimisation programme.

– Elivra Bisbe

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