EMBASE search strategy
| 1 | Clinical trial/ |
| 2 | Randomized controlled trial/ |
| 3 | Randomization/ |
| 4 | Single blind procedure/ |
| 5 | Double blind procedure/ |
| 6 | Crossover procedure/ |
| 7 | Randomi?ed controlled trial$.tw. |
| 8 | Rct.tw. |
| 9 | Random allocation.tw. |
| 10 | Allocated randomly.tw. |
| 11 | (allocated adj2 random).tw. |
| 12 | Double blind$.tw. |
| 13 | Single blind$.tw. |
| 14 | ((treble or triple) adj blind$).tw. |
| 15 | 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or 11 or 12 or 13 or 14 |
| 16 | Case study/ |
| 17 | Case report.tw. |
| 18 | Abstract report/ or letter/ |
| 19 | 16 or 17 or 18 |
| 20 | 15 not 19 |
| 21 | methods paper.mp. |
| 22 | protocol.mp. |
| 23 | exp study design/ |
| 24 | study design.mp. |
| 25 | trial design.mp. |
| 26 | 21 or 22 or 23 or 24 or 25 |
| 27 | 20 and 26 |
| 28 | exp surgery/ |
| 29 | surgical.mp. |
| 30 | surgeon$.mp. |
| 31 | operative.mp. |
| 32 | surger*.mp. |
| 33 | re-operation.mp. |
| 34 | reoperation.mp. |
| 35 | 28 or 29 or 30 or 31 or 32 or 33 or 34 |
| 36 | 27 and 35 |
| 37 | limit 36 to yr=“2005—Current” |