Table 1.

Literature search strategy for PubMed.

	AND
	Population	Intervention	Study design*
OR	Pulmonary surgical procedure [mh] [tiab] (p) Thoracotomy [tiab] (p) Thoracic surgery [mh] [tiab] (p) Video-assisted thoracic surgery [mh] [tiab] (p) Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery [tiab] (p) Lung surgery [tiab] (p) Lung resectional surgery [tiab] (p) Lung resection [tiab] (p) Lung volume reduction surgery [tiab] (p) Lobectomy [tiab] (p)	Respiratory physiotherapy [tiab] Respiratory physical therapy [tiab] Chest physiotherapy [tiab] Chest physical therapy [tiab] Lung physiotherapy [tiab] Lung physical therapy [tiab] Continuous positive airway pressure [mh] [tiab] Noninvasive ventilation [mh] [tiab] Bilevel positive airway pressure [tiab] Biphasic positive airway pressure [tiab] Positive expiratory pressure [tiab] Intermittent positive pressure breathing [mh] [tiab] Inspiratory muscle training [tiab] Airway clearance technique [tiab] (p) Breathing exercises [mh] [tiab] (p) Incentive spirometry [tiab] Sustained maximal inspiration [tiab] Postural drainage [tiab] Autogenic drainage [tiab] Bronchial drainage [tiab] Bronchial hygiene [tiab] ELTGOL [tiab] Forced expiratory technique [tiab] (p) Early ambulation [mh] [tiab] Early mobilization [tiab]	Randomized controlled trial [pt] Controlled clinical trial [pt] Randomized [tiab] Randomised [tiab] Placebo [tiab] Randomly [tiab] Trial [tiab] Groups [tiab] Control group [tiab] NOT Animals [mh] not (humans [mh] and animals [mh])

AND, OR, NOT = boolean operators.

[mh] = MeSH term.

[sh] = MeSH subheading.

[tiab] = titel and abstract.

[pt] = publication type.

(p) = term searched both in single and plural.

^*Reference: Cochrane Highly Sensitive Search Strategy for identifying randomised trials. Available from: Lefebvre C, Manheimer E, Glanville J. Chapter 6: Searching for studies. Chochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Higgins, HPT; Green, S ed. Chichester (UK): John Wiley & Sons; 2008. p. 96–149.