The quality of research synthesis in surgery: the case of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses populate the literature on the effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. The utility of this body of work is unclear. The objective of this study was to synthesize all such systematic reviews in terms of clinical effectiveness, to appraise their quality, and to determine whether areas of duplication exist across reviews.

Methods

Systematic reviews comparing laparoscopic and open surgery for colorectal cancer were identified using a comprehensive search protocol (1991 to 2008). The primary outcome was overall survival. The methodological quality of reviews was appraised using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) instrument. Abstraction and quality appraisal was carried out by two inde

SUBMITTER: Martel G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3351744 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature