The Role of the Randomized Controlled Trial in Plastic Surgery Journal Articles

abstract

• This article discusses the role of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) in plastic surgery. There are unique challenges in the execution of an RCT in plastic surgery, including: (1) surgical equipoise, (2) the surgical learning curve, (3) differential care, (4) randomization, (5) concealment, (6) expertise-based design, (7) blinding, (8) intention-to-treat analysis, (9) loss to follow-up, and (10) treatment effect and implications for sample size calculations. The RCTs conducted in plastic surgery to date are generally of poor quality in design and reporting, are fraught with bias, and have small sample sizes, thus this article attempts to help future investigators perform better quality RCTs.

authors

• Thoma, Achilleas
• Sprague, Sheila Ann
• Temple, Claire
• Archibald, Stuart D

status

• published 

publication date

• April 2008

has subject area

• Humans (MeSH)
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic (MeSH)
• Surgery (Science Metrix)
• Surgery, Plastic (MeSH)

published in

• Clinics in Plastic Surgery  Journal

keywords

• Humans
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Surgery, Plastic

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/j.cps.2007.10.011

PubMed ID

• 18298999

start page

• 275

end page

• 284

volume

• 35

issue

• 2