The value and challenges of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in surgical research

Abstract

ABSTRACT Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are essential tools in evidence-based medicine, providing unbiased summaries of current evidence to guide clinical decision-making. While widely utilized in various medical specialties, surgical research presents unique challenges to conducting high-quality systematic reviews. This comprehensive review explores the value of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in surgery, discussing recent trends, key components, benefits, limitations, and challenges specific to surgical interventions. It examines issues such as blinding, surgical heterogeneity, learning curves, patient and clinician preference, industry involvement, and emergency interventions. By addressing these challenges and highlighting the importance of rigorous methodology, this review emphasizes the critical role of systematic reviews in advancing surgical practice and shaping evidence-based guidelines.