Selection methodology and extracted data
The resulting initial study pool was evaluated independently by two teams of authors, who followed the same steps. Initially, duplicate records were removed, with the remaining records being screened for relevance, the most promising of which being moved to full-text assessment. Disagreements between the two independent teams were reviewed and resolved, with the included articles ultimately being agreed upon by all co-authors. Data on study design (study period, type of study, total sample size, year of publication), patients’ characteristics (mean age, mean BMI etc), myoma characteristics (mean number, weight, diameter etc), RALM characteristics (Da Vinci model, methodology, trocars used etc) and comparators were extracted and organized.
With regard to sought outcomes, data on MOD, EBL, LOS, complication rates, transfusion rates and conversion rates were extracted and utilized for meta-analysis. Additional data on fertility were also extracted, organized and are presented for the purposes of this review, although not in the form of meta-analysis.