Study	Reason for exclusion
Abjigtova 2021	Not randomised
Aris 1999b	Not randomised
Bakir 2014	Not randomised
Baumbach 2010	Not randomised
Borrero 2020	Not randomised controlled trial
Bruce 2014	Intervention group was robotic surgery
Canosa 1999	Observational study
Chang 1999	Observational study
Christiansen 1999	Observational study
Concistre 2013	Observational study
Corbi 2003	Observational study
Dalen 2015	Observational study (propensity matched)
Detter 2002b	Observational study
Doll 2002	Observational study
Fareed 2018	Apparently randomised data collection not prospective randomisation of patients ‐ authors contacted for clarification and did not respond.
Farhat 2003	Prospective but not randomised
Ferdinand 2001	Observational study
Foghsgaard 2009	Prospective but not randomised
Frazier 1998	Observational study
Gilmanov 2013	Observational study
Glauber 2013	Observational study
Glower 2014	Observational study
Hamano 2001	Observational study
Hiraoka 2011	Observational study
Johnston 2012	Observational study (propensity matched)
Korach 2010	Observational study
Leshnower 2006	Observational study
Liu 1999b	Observational study
Mahesh 2011	Observational study
Masiello 2002	Observational study
Mihos 2013	Observational study
Mikus 2013	Observational study Redo surgeries
Ruttmann 2010	Observational study
Sansone 2012	Mini‐thoracotomy
Santarpino 2012	Observational study
Sener 2001	Mini‐thoracotomy
Sharony 2003	Observational study
Sharony 2004	Observational study (propensity matched)
Sidiropolous 1999	Observational study
Stamou 2003	Observational study (propensity matched)
Suenaga 2004	Observational study
Svensson 1998	Observational study
Vanoverbeke 2004	Observational study
Walther 1999b	Observational study
Wheatley 2004	Port access
Yon 2014	Observational study
You 2012	Observational study