Perioperative transfusion study (PETS): Does a liberal transfusion protocol improve outcome in high-risk cardiovascular patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery? A randomised controlled pilot study.

This pilot study shows that the studied transfusion protocol was able to create a clinically significant difference in perioperative haemoglobin levels. Randomisation was possible in 10% of the screened patients. A large definitive trial should be possible to provide evidence whether a liberal transfusion strategy could decrease the incidence of postoperative myocardial infarction in high risk surgical patients.