Submissions

Author Guidelines

Information for Authors

All manuscripts should be submitted online at www.jsurgarch.com. The policies and procedures for the Journal generally follow those of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, as published in the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication" (updated October 2008; www.icmje.org).
Manuscripts are considered for publication if and only if the article and its key features:

(1) are not under consideration elsewhere,

(2) have not been published, and

(3) will not appear in print or online prior to appearing in the journal.

This restriction does not apply to abstracts or posters published in connection with scientific meetings; in addition, press reports arising from a conference will not be considered prior publication, provided that authors who discuss their conference presentation or poster with reporters are careful not to offer more detail about their work than was contained in the oral or poster presentation.

Also, all authors must read and approve the final submission or re-submission of a revision.
When a manuscript is received by Journal that has at least one author who is also one of the Editors-in-Chief of the journal or is from one of the Editors-in-Chief's institutions, that Editor will recuse himself from any editorial responsibilities for the manuscript. In addition, individuals who have potential conflicts of interest with any manuscript sent to them for review are asked to recuse themselves from serving as peer reviewers.

Acceptance for publication is based on originality, significance, and scientific merit; these manuscripts should further the knowledge and practice of surgery and be comprehensive. Revisions may be made to add clarity and understanding without altering the meaning and to follow an overall editorial approach by the journal.

The journal invites concise, original articles of new matter in the broad field of clinical and experimental surgery as well as surgical organization, research in global surgery and surgical history. We are especially interested in articles on surgical education, surgical outcomes, and healthcare delivery. Emphasis for acceptance includes conciseness and clarity of presentation as well as appropriateness of English usage.
All authors must observe most strictly the rules against dual publication.

Informed consent and patient details (IRB AND HIPAA)
Manuscripts describing research involving human subjects must document both IRB approval/exemption and that informed consent was obtained from patients who served as subjects of the investigation. A statement about HIPAA compliance is also necessary for human studies from the United States and other countries in which the protection of patient information by obtaining patient consent is required by law. In the event that either the Editors or referees question the propriety of the human investigation with respect to the risk to the subjects or to the means of obtaining informed consent, Journal may request more detailed information about the safeguards employed and the procedures used to obtain consent. Minutes of the local human experimentation committees that reviewed and approved the research may also be requested.

"Unless you have written permission from the patient (or, where applicable, the next of kin), the personal details of any patient included in any part of the article and in any supplementary materials (including all illustrations and videos) must be removed before submission."

Registration of Human studies
All human studies that are prospective, whether they are randomized or not, MUST be registered in a national or international registry available to the public before they can be published.

Animal/Human Experiments
For animal and all human experiments, the sex of animal used must be indicated. If both males and females were used, the number from each sex must be indicated, and it must be indicated whether the sex of animal was considered a factor in the statistical analysis of the data. If only one sex was used, the rationale for using only one sex must be indicated. For cell culture experiments, the sex from which primary cell cultures or tissues were obtained must be indicated. The authors are also encouraged to include sex of cell lines. If cells or tissues from both sexes were used without regard to sex, this should be indicated.

Permission
Direct quotations, tables, or illustrations that have appeared in copyrighted material must be accompanied by written permission for their use from the copyright owner and original author along with complete information as to source. Photographs of identifiable persons must be accompanied by signed releases showing informed consent. Articles appear in both the printed and online versions of the journal, and wording of the release should specify permission in all forms and media. Failure to get electronic permission rights may result in the images not appearing in the online version.

TYPES OF SUBMISSIONS
Original Communications
Manuscripts presenting original research, either clinical, translational, or basic science are original communications. Consideration for publication is based on novelty, appropriate methods and analyses, and convincing data that support actionable conclusions. Emphasis should be placed on the knowledge gap filled by the findings and how the findings are impactful. The text of the manuscript should be less than 3000 words excluding the abstract, tables, figures, and references. The abstract should be less than 250 words. A maximum of 50 references is permitted. Digital media provides an outstanding opportunity to our authors to have us globally disseminate publications in surgery. A variety of platforms including Twitter, LinkedIn, FaceBook, Instagram, and YouTube may be employed.

Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors submitting randomized controlled trials must follow the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement, which can be found at: http://www.consort-statement.org/. Authors should follow the 25-item checklist and submit a flow diagram with the manuscript. If accepted, the completed checklist must be included as supplementary material. Manuscripts not adhering to these guidelines will not be considered.

Observational Studies
Manuscripts that are observational should follow the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE Statement), which can be viewed at http://www.strobe-statement .org. The authors should follow the checklist for the study design, and, if the manuscript is accepted, must submit the checklist as supplementary material. Manuscripts not adhering to these guidelines will not be considered.

Best in Surgery
The Editors and Editors-In-Chief will select high impact manuscripts submitted as original communications as works of distinction, which will be published as feature papers in the Best in Surgery category. These manuscripts will be accompanied by commentaries invited by the Editors and Editors-In-Chief, visual abstracts constructed by the authors, and video interviews of the authors. These works, along with other Surgery manuscripts, will be highly visible on our social media platforms.

Clinical Reviews
The Journal publishes review papers that are solicited by the Editors-In-Chief or pre-approved by the Editors-In-Chief. Authors interested in writing a review manuscript should correspond with the Editors-In-Chief prior to submitting an unsolicited manuscript, which is rarely accepted. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which are well-executed and either relevant or timely, are considered through the regular submission process and without Editor-In-Chief pre-approval. These manuscripts must follow the outline suggested by PRISMA (http://www.prisma-statement.org). Only the most clinically impactful systematic reviews and meta-analyses will be reviewed and considered for publication. All review manuscripts are subject to rigorous peer review. The text of the manuscript should be less than 3500 words excluding the abstract, tables, figures, and references. The abstract should be less than 250 words.

Invited Commentaries
All invited commentaries are solicited by the Editors-In-Chief. Unsolicited commentaries may be considered, but pre-approval by the Editors is strongly recommended. The invited commentaries should be concise (not to exceed 1000 words) and should express the personal opinion of the author. An invited commentary should have a maximum of five (5) references and no tables or figures. Invited commentaries are related to manuscripts published in the journal, but may include timely subjects of interest including topics of social significance.

Surgery Images section
For Images submissions, a maximum of two images is allowed, the text should be less than 500 words with a maximum of three (3) references. Manuscripts must strictly adhere to these criteria and will only be considered if the criteria are met. Images will be published online only. The text of manuscript should present the case as an unknown with the corresponding images crucial to attaining the correct diagnosis or management.

Highlights of current Global Surgery
These articles will not include an abstract; they must be 750 words or less; they may have a maximum of ten references; and they may contain one figure.

Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor must be in response to previously published articles in the journal. Letters not pertaining to previously published articles will not be considered. Each letter must not exceed 500 words, should be typed with double-spacing, and may include five (5) references and no figures or tables. The Editors-In-Chief reserve the rights to accept, reject, or revise letters without changing the views expressed by the writer. No anonymous correspondence will be published. The letters must be written in publication quality language as only one (1) minor revision is permitted.

ONLINE MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION

All manuscripts must be submitted online. Please go to www.jsurgarch.com and register, log in, and follow the instructions. When uploading your manuscript on the site, please be aware of the following:

• MS Word is the preferred word-processing program. Please do not upload anything as a PDF file.
• The manuscript must not contain any author details as it needs to be filled in metadata format during submission by adding contributor.
• While submission, please choose “Article text” for the main text file and “others” for all other files.
• All text elements (title page with structured abstract, main text, disclosure, funding statement, references, appendices, figure legends, and tables) should be in a single file.
• Number pages consecutively and double-space text. Also, please use line numbering for ease of reviewing.
• Each figure file should be created at the proper resolution (see guidelines below) and uploaded as a separate file (TIFF or EPS are the preferred formats).

MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

The following format must be used for all submitted manuscripts:

1. Cover Letter (Mandatory)
   The cover letter should provide (1) the category of manuscript (i.e., original report, brief clinical report, etc); (2) statement that the material has not been previously published or submitted elsewhere for publication and will not be sent to another journal until a decision is made concerning publication by Surgery Archives; (3) COI (conflicts of interest) information about any personal conflicts of interest or financial conflicts of interest of any of the authors; and (4) names of sources of outside support for research, including funding, equipment, and drugs (see Financial Support). The cover letter should be submitted as a separate file. Any financial support whatsoever from industry must be acknowledged as a financial disclosure of all the authors in the cover letter as well as in the text of the manuscript, situated just before the References section. For instance, if a study is funded partially or totally by industry, this needs to be stated clearly followed by a statement disclosing whether or not each author and/or family member has any financial interest in the company (etc) funding the study. The Editors and the journal take this topic very seriously and it will be the Editors' discretion whether or not this represents too much of a conflict of interest to warrant publication. Finally, the cover letter should have a statement that attests to the fact that all authors have seen and approved the final version of the manuscript being submitted and that all authors fulfill the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) requirements for authorship (IF uncertain, search COPE guidelines on authorship at https://publicationethics.org
   
   2. Manuscript File (Mandatory)
   A. Title Page
   The title page should include the full name and highest achieved degree of each author, the institution from which the work originated, and the exact and complete affiliation, telephone numbers, and e-mail address of the one author who will be responsible for correspondence, galley proofs, and reprint requests.
2. Abstract
   A structured abstract of no more than 250 words must accompany the manuscript and consist of four paragraphs, each with its introductory label: Background (stating the purpose of the study), Methods, Results, and Conclusions. This abstract should follow the title page and should be numbered page two of the manuscript. Abstracts are only necessary for Original Research articles, Review articles, Procedures, Communications, and case reports.
3. Main Text
   For the main text, authors should refer to the brief description of types of submissions as well as the requirements on reporting of institutional ethics approval or exemption, informed consent, patient details, human trial registration and animal/human experiments. Authors should also include a statement regarding study limitations at the end of the Discussion.

Use of inclusive language
Inclusive language acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities. Articles should make no assumptions about the beliefs or commitments of any reader, should not contain language which might imply that one individual is superior to another on the grounds of race, sex, culture, or any other characteristic, and should use inclusive language throughout. Authors should ensure that writing is free from bias, for instance by using 'he or she', 'his/her' instead of 'he' or 'his', and by making use of job titles that are free of stereotyping (e.g., 'chairperson' instead of 'chairman' and 'flight attendant' instead of 'stewardess').

Data references
The journal encourages you to cite underlying or relevant datasets in your manuscript by citing them in your text and including a data reference in your Reference List.

D. Conflict of Interest/Disclosure Statement
Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and Financial Interests. Surgery Archives requires all authors to provide full disclosure of any and all biomedical financial interests. Further, we require all authors on all types of articles (including letters) to specify the nature of potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. This disclosure includes direct or indirect financial or personal relationships, interests, and affiliations relevant to the subject matter of the manuscript that have occurred over the last two years, or that are expected in the foreseeable future. This disclosure includes, but is not limited to, grants or funding, employment, affiliations, patents (in preparation, filed, or granted), inventions, honoraria, consultancies, royalties, stock options/ownership, or expert testimony. Spousal or familial financial interests must also be included. This policy of full disclosure is similar to the policies of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and other such organizations.
The conflict of interest statements must be included in all articles. Please label it as COI/Disclosures and include it at the end of the text of the manuscript, immediately before the References. It must be included at the time of submission for all article types. If the authors haves no conflicts of interest to declare, this must be explicitly stated, e.g., the authors have no related conflicts of interest to declare.

1. 
   Funding/Financial Support Statement
   All direct and indirect financial support by extramural sources for the study or related studies must be acknowledged. Please label this Funding/Financial support and include this at the end of the text immediately before the references. The distribution of funding must be addressed by describing how all the funding was distributed: salary, support of authors, study coordinator, medical student, resident, fellow, statistician, secretary, or other; laboratory analyses/equipment; devices, medications or materials; administration duties; or as a non-restricted educational grant.
2. References
   Only references cited in the text should be included in the reference list; cite references in the text by superscript numbers. The reference list must be numbered according to the order of mention of references in the text. The list format should conform to that set forth in "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals" (Vancouver style) ( http://www.icmje.org). Do not cite as a reference any work that has not been published or accepted for publication. Manuscripts in preparation or submitted (but not yet accepted for publication) are not acceptable as a reference nor are oral presentations. Manuscripts fully accepted for publication but not yet published should be cited as "in press." Note that journal abbreviations must follow the style used in the Cumulated Index Medicus.

For periodical references, give the surnames of authors and their initials, title of article, publication name, year, volume, issue and inclusive page numbers full range.

e.g., Mohammed BS, Al-Gawhari FJ. Preparation of Posaconazole Nanosponges for Improved Topical Delivery System. International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology. 2022;12(1):8-14

For books, give the surnames of authors and their initials, chapter title (if applicable), editors' surnames and initials, book title, volume number (if applicable), edition number (if applicable), city of publisher, full name of publisher, year of publication, and inclusive page numbers of citation.

4. Figures (Optional)
   Figures should be submitted electronically. Figures must be submitted as separate files not embedded in the manuscript file. Please use either an EPS or TIFF file format. Graphics software such as Photoshop and Illustrator should be used to create art. Figures submitted using presentation software such as PowerPoint, CorelDraw, or Harvard Graphics are not acceptable. Color images need to be saved as CMYK, at least 300 dots per inch (dpi). Gray scale images should be at least 300 dpi. Line art (black and white or color) and combinations of gray scale and line art should be at least 300 dpi. Please note that once you create digital art at low resolution, you cannot adjust it. You must create your art at the proper resolution (300 dpi) to begin with. Figures must be cited in the text and numbered in order of first mention. Do not embed the figures within the text of the manuscript, attach them as separate figure files. A reasonable number of black-and-white illustrations will be produced free of charge; however, please note that special arrangements must be made with the Editors and publisher for color plates or extra illustrations. The cost of color illustrations is usually borne by the authors. Please note that the figures in the online version of the journal will be reproduced in color, free of charge.
   Legends
   Legends must be provided for all illustrations and are best positioned at the end of the references section of the manuscript. The legend should not appear anywhere on the figure. If a figure has been previously published, the legend must give full credit to the original source. Permission from the copyright holder for reproduction in your article must be submitted with your manuscript.
5. 
   
   Tables (Optional)
   Tables should be numbered in the order in which they are mentioned in the text, and given a brief, descriptive title. Omit all horizontal or vertical rules from the body of the table. Glossy prints and reduced versions of typewritten tables are unacceptable. All acronyms, abbreviations, and unusual units of measurement used in the title, headings, or body of the table should be fully explained in a footnote.
6. Supplementary data (Optional)
   In exceptional or special circumstances, Surgery Archives will allow publication of additional tables, figures, or text (e.g. methodology, explanations of analysis, etc) in the electronic version of the published manuscript. This material will not be included in the print version, but a reference to it being available online will be present in the print version. The Editors would like to emphasize that such additional material will have to meet strict criteria to be included in the electronic version; it will need to complement the data in the printed version. If deemed by the authors or Editors as crucial to the interpretation of the manuscript, this material should be included as part of the printed version of the manuscript. Please mark clearly in the submitted manuscript that this is supplemental information to be published electronically. The electronic version should not be used as a repository for redundant or unnecessary data.

OTHER INFORMATION

Copyright
Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to select a copyright statement. Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions under complete credit attribution to the source.

Author rights
As an author you (or your employer or institution) have certain rights to reuse your work.

Data references
This journal encourages you to cite underlying or relevant datasets in your manuscript by citing them in your text and including a data reference in your Reference List. Data references should include the following elements: author name(s), dataset title, data repository, version (where available), year, and global persistent identifier. Add [dataset] immediately before the reference so we can properly identify it as a data reference. The [dataset] identifier will not appear in your published article.

Research data

This journal encourages and enables you to share data that supports your research publication where appropriate, and enables you to interlink the data with your published articles. Research data refers to the results of observations or experimentation that validate research findings. To facilitate reproducibility and data reuse, this journal also encourages you to share your software, code, models, algorithms, protocols, methods and other useful materials related to the project.

Data statement
To foster transparency, we encourage you to state the availability of your data in your submission. This may be a requirement of your funding body or institution.