European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
-
Bias undermines evidence-based decision making. To counter this, surgeons must be aware of biases that may influence studies' reported outcomes. Lumbar spinal stenosis often requires operative intervention, with multiple available surgical strategies. Our aim was to assess the role that country of origin plays in published surgical outcomes for lumbar spinal stenosis. ⋯ Diagnostic: individual cross-sectional studies with the consistently applied reference standard and blinding.