Introduction Observational studies are an important tool in the world of surgical outcomes
research. The hallmark of sound published research is the ability of readers to assess the
quality of a study, reproduce the results, and appropriately interpret the findings. To
accomplish this, a thorough understanding of the key assumptions, methods, and limitations
is required. In 2004, the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in
Epidemiology (STROBE) Initiative convened a multidisciplinary work group to address the …