Development of machine learning and multivariable models for predicting blood transfusion in head and neck microvascular reconstruction for risk-stratified patient blood management.

The use of additional variables improves the prediction for blood transfusion, while models seems to have good generalizability due to surgical standardization and underlying physiological mechanism. The ML models developed showed comparable predictive performance to an LR model. However, ML models face legal hurdles, whereas score charts based on LR could be used after further validation.