Table 1.

MEDLINE search strategy

1	Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/
2	randomized controlled trial/
3	Random Allocation/
4	clinical trial/
5	clinical trial, phase i.pt.
6	clinical trial, phase ii.pt.
7	clinical trial, phase iii.pt.
8	clinical trial, phase iv.pt.
9	controlled clinical trial.pt.
10	randomized controlled trial.pt.
11	clinical trial.pt.
12	exp Clinical Trials as topic/
13	(clinical adj trial$).tw.
14	randomly allocated.tw.
15	(allocated adj2 random$).tw.
16	“random*.”ab,ti.
17	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 or 15 or 16
18	Case report.tw.
19	letter/
20	historical article/
21	18 or 19 or 20
22	17 not 21
23	methods paper.mp.
24	protocol*.mp.
25	study design.mp.
26	trial design.mp.
27	research design.mp.
28	Research Design/
29	exp Clinical Protocols/
30	“protocol*.”ab,kf,kw,ti.
31	23 or 24 or 25 or 26 or 27 or 28 or 29 or 30
32	22 and 31
33	exp Surgical Procedures, Operative/
34	exp Specialties, Surgical/
35	surger*.mp.
36	surgeon*.mp.
37	surgical.mp.
38	operative.mp.
39	reoperation.mp.
40	re-operation.mp.
41	“surger*.”ab,ti.
42	surgical.ab,ti.
43	operative.ab,ti.
44	“surgeon*.”ab,ti.
45	33 or 34 or 35 or 36 or 37 or 38 or 39 or 40 or 41 or 42 or 43 or 44
46	32 and 45
47	limit 46 to yr=“2005-Current“