🧪 Real-World Experience [Neurosurgery Wiki]

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===== 🧪 Real-World Experience =====

The term **real-world experience** refers to clinical observations and outcomes collected **outside of randomized controlled trials (RCTs)**. It emphasizes data obtained from **routine clinical practice**, **registries**, or **observational cohorts**, and provides insights into how interventions perform in **non-ideal, everyday settings**.

==== ✅ Characteristics of Real-World Data ====
  * Reflects **heterogeneous patient populations**
  * Includes **variations in clinician practice**
  * Captures **long-term outcomes** and **adherence patterns**
  * May uncover **rare adverse effects** or **unanticipated benefits**

==== 🧩 Role in Evidence-Based Medicine ====
While real-world data may lack the internal validity of RCTs, it contributes to **external validity** and **generalizability**, informing:
  * Treatment effectiveness in diverse populations
  * Decision-making in **low-evidence scenarios**
  * **Post-marketing surveillance** of drugs and devices

> ⚠️ Real-world experience should complement—not replace—evidence from well-designed trials.

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**Example Usage:**
> "Real-world experience with 7T MRI in DBS reveals variability in protocol standardization and site-specific practices, unlike controlled environments."