*2.1. Data Sources*

Electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Clinical Trials.gov, were searched from inception to November 2022. Search terms included controlled terms from Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) in PubMed, EMtree in EMBASE.com, corresponding keywords, and free text terms. The search terms included those related to "Thoracolumbar fracture", "Pedicle screw", and "Removal". The complete search strategy is presented in the electronic Supplementary Material Table S1. No language, publication status, or other search restriction was imposed. In addition, we checked the reference lists from all retrieved studies and meta-analyses or systematic reviews already published to ensure that all studies could be identified.
