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All physicians are familiar with the type of general review articles found in many medical journals. Systematic reviews are different. They apply a strict, scientific methodology to the reviewing process to produce a review that is comprehensive, reliable, and as free from bias as possible. As a result, systematic reviews occupy the highest position in the "levels of evidence" tables associated with the practice of evidence-based health care. Systematic reviews relevant to surgery are no less relevant than systematic reviews in other areas of health care. They should be a prerequisite of any new research, a key component in decision making, and an opportunity for all surgical practitioners to get involved in the conduct and interpretation of research.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.suc.2005.10.005

Type

Journal article

Journal

Surg Clin North Am

Publication Date

02/2006

Volume

86

Pages

101 - ix

Keywords

Bias, Evidence-Based Medicine, Humans, Meta-Analysis as Topic, Publication Bias, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Reproducibility of Results, Review Literature as Topic, Surgical Procedures, Operative