On Doctoring MEDLINE searches, with reference librarian comments

The question was

"My preceptor asked me to find recent information on the treatment of pt's with neurofibromatosis, MRI findings, and brachial plexus complications. I was not able to find much on the brachial plexus complications but was able to find a fair amount on the first two."

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1 :  neurofibromatosis.mp. [mp=title, abstract, registry number         {2212}
word, mesh subject heading]
2 :  limit 1 to ebm reviews         {0}
3 :  limit 2 to yr=1990-1999         {0}
4 :  limit 1 to yr=1990-1999         {2212}
5 :  limit 4 to yr=1994-1999         {1305}
6 :  limit 5 to (human and english language and aim journals)         {158}
7 :  limit 4 to (human and english language and aim journals)         {276}
8 :  from 7 keep         {20}
12,17-18,23,27,36,38-39,64-65,69,72-73,75,77,88-89,93,95,113
9 :  4 and imaging.mp. [mp=title, abstract, registry number         {171}
word, mesh subject heading]
10 :  4 and treatment.mp. [mp=title, abstract, registry number         {217}
word, mesh subject heading]
11 :  7 and imaging.mp. [mp=title, abstract, registry number         {37}
word, mesh subject heading]
12 :  from 11 keep 2,6,13,15-17,21,25,27,29,32-33,35-36         {14}
13 :  7 and brachial plexus.mp. [mp=title, abstract, registry         {2}
number word, mesh subject heading]
14 :  from 13 keep 1-2         {2}
15 :  7 and management.mp. [mp=title, abstract, registry number         {22}
word, mesh subject heading]
16 :  from 15 keep 3-6,11,14,17-18,20-22         {11}
17 :  7         {276}
18 :  limit 17 to (practice guideline or review or review,         {46}
tutorial)
19 :  from 18 keep 1-10          {10}

Reference Librarian comments

Well, I like how you're finding your way into the LIMIT page (where
you can ask for practice guidelines, AIM journals, etc.). That's
very good.

But I don't like how you're not using the true power of the Ovid
interface. When you enter a term like neurofibromatosis, the system
should lead you to neurofibromatosis the official Medical Subject
Heading, and if you use that, then you'll be able to "explode" the
heading (crucial), and "focus" the term (handy) and get to the
available sub-headings (very powerful.)

Meanwhile, this is not a particularly easy MEDLINE search, at least
they way you've got it stated. And I certainly may not understand
precisely what you wanted, but I'd probably throw out that MRI
business* and try to find articles simply on neurofibromatosis and
brachial plexus. Also, I'd use the bigger 1966 to Present MEDLINE
file, and maybe I would NOT limit to English language.

Here's what I did:

Medline 1966 to February 1999

#
Search History
Results

1 : 
exp neurofibromatosis/
4831

2 : 
exp brachial plexus/
11949

3 : 
1 and 2
25

*we do this all the time. If you incorporate too many ideas, you get
nothing. So drop an idea and see what happens.