Box 1.

MEDLINE search strategy

(Surgical Procedures, Operative[MeSH Terms] OR surgery[tiab] OR surgeries[tiab] OR surgical[tiab] OR operative[tiab] OR operating room[tiab] OR operation[tiab] OR cleft lip[tiab] OR cleft palate[tiab] OR eye[tiab] OR congenital[tiab] OR heart[tiab] OR cardiac[tiab] OR vesicovaginal[tiab] OR obstetric fistula[tiab] OR genital fistula[tiab] OR trauma[tiab])

AND

(Medical Missions, Official[MeSH Terms] OR Missions and Missionaries[MeSH Terms] OR Mobile Health Units[MeSH Terms] OR Relief Work[MeSH Terms] OR Voluntary Workers[MeSH Terms] OR humanitarian[tiab] OR surgical mission*[tiab] OR missionary[tiab] OR resource limited[tiab] OR low income countr*[tiab] OR middle income countr*[tiab] OR developing countr*[tiab] OR LMIC[tiab])

NOT “case reports”[publication type]

This search strategy (with appropriate language) also was used for EmBASE