Limitations
Limitations of this study include a small sample size that reflects ENT
transfusion practice at a Head and Neck, tertiary centre when compared
to other surgical specialties. Baseline characteristics of patients were
not collected and adjusted for, which would reduce confounding factors.
Patients with multiple co-morbidities are more likely to need
transfusing due to anaemia of chronic disease. The blood transfusion
tariffs used in the cost-analysis were from 2015, and therefore did not
account for the inflation related adjustments in costs.