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Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: A Clinical Exercise

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Success in Academic Surgery: Health Services Research

Part of the book series: Success in Academic Surgery ((SIAS))

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Abstract

The growth of new clinical knowledge continues to challenge how surgery is practiced, and several types of literature reviews attempt to consolidate this expansion of information. Systematic reviews and meta-analysis are common methodologies that integrate findings on the same subject collected from different studies. Unlike a systematic review, a meta-analysis arrives at a conclusion backed by quantitative analysis. This review provides an overview of the principles, application, and limitations of these methods, which is fundamental to interpreting and critiquing their results.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, 72-215 CHS, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Melinda A. Gibbons M.D., M.S.H.S.

  2. Department of Surgery, Olive View UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA, USA

    Melinda A. Gibbons M.D., M.S.H.S.

  3. Department of Surgery, Greater Los Angeles VA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Melinda A. Gibbons M.D., M.S.H.S.

Authors
  1. Melinda A. Gibbons M.D., M.S.H.S.
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Correspondence to Melinda A. Gibbons M.D., M.S.H.S. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Associate Chair for Faculty Development, Department of Surgery, Henry King Ransom Professor of Surgery Chief, Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Justin B. Dimick

  2. Associate Professor of Surgery, WARF Professor of Surgical Research Director, Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research (WiSOR), Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Caprice C. Greenberg

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag London

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Gibbons, M.A. (2014). Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: A Clinical Exercise. In: Dimick, J., Greenberg, C. (eds) Success in Academic Surgery: Health Services Research. Success in Academic Surgery. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4718-3_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4718-3_15

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-4717-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-4718-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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