Focus and Scope

Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, published by Edinburgh University Press collaborates with British Medical Association. are dedicated to providing physicians with the best research and important information in the world of medical research and science and to present the information in a format that is understandable and clinically useful. Committed to publishing multidisciplinary research that spans the entire spectrum of healthcare and medicine access, Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh aims at an international audience of pharmacists, clinicians, medical ethicists, regulators, and researchers, providing an online forum for the rapid dissemination of recent research and perspectives in this area.

 

Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Evidence seeks to advance clinical trial research and clinical practice by:

• Publishing high-quality studies from the front lines of medical research.
• Challenging the medical community to take new approaches to clinical trial design and execution that yield more powerful clinical evidence.
• Sparking debate and conversation around areas of medicine where clinical decisions are made without sufficient evidence.
• Engaging physicians in a more sophisticated and meaningful way with clinical evidence.

Adhering to the rigorous peer-review and quality standards expected from Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Evidence publishes:

• Original research, clinical trials, and other clinically grounded work (e.g., epidemiology studies, first-in-human trials, meta-analyses) that validate or challenge prior clinical findings.
• Standard reviews, systematic reviews, and other review types that contextualize research findings with the aim of accelerating clinical adoption of new evidence.
• Case studies and reviews of clinical trial methodology that enhance understanding of trial strengths and weaknesses.
• Curbside consult series that addresses common patient care issues.
• Morning Report series solicited case presentation articles that are delivered in a morning report format.

 

Generation of Evidence

The process of generating evidence is a key area of focus for Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Evidence. We encourage readers to evaluate the reasoning behind the complex decisions that investigators make in trial design and execution, and to assess the quality of evidence produced in trials. Our goal is to build a community that takes a rigorous approach to evaluating evidence and assessing its impact on clinical decision-making.

 

Statistical Methods

Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Evidence guides readers toward a deeper understanding of the statistical methods used in trials. We provide concise, digestible explanations of research methods to inform the interpretation of the resulting data. In addition, we introduce readers to emerging statistical methods and types of data that will play an increasingly prominent role in future trials.

 

Multidisciplinary Coverage

Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Evidence publishes content relevant across all medical disciplines to advance the discussion of how to generate evidence that informs patient care. Physician-scientists, trialists, and general medicine and subspecialty clinicians will all benefit from this publication.

 

Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh covers themes including, but not limited to:

1. General Surgery

• Gastrointestinal Surgery (Upper and Lower):
• Benign and malignant diseases of the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine.
• Bariatric and metabolic surgery.
• Colorectal Surgery:
• Colon and rectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis), diverticulitis, and anorectal disorders.
• Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery (HPB):
• Surgery for liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and bile duct cancers and benign conditions.
• Endocrine Surgery:
• Surgical management of thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and neuroendocrine tumors.
• Breast Surgery:
• Surgical management of benign and malignant breast disease.
• Hernia and Abdominal Wall Surgery:
• Complex abdominal wall reconstruction and repair of all hernia types.
• Soft Tissue Surgery:
• Management of sarcoma and melanoma.

2. Cardiothoracic Surgery

• Adult Cardiac Surgery:
• Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG).
• Valvular heart surgery: repair and replacement (including minimally invasive techniques).
• Aortic surgery (aneurysms, dissections).
• Mechanical circulatory support (VADs) and heart transplantation.
• General Thoracic Surgery:
• Surgical management of lung cancer (VATS, robotic lobectomy), esophageal cancer, and other mediastinal tumors.
• Benign thoracic conditions (e.g., GERD, emphysema).

3. Neurosurgery

• Neuro-Oncology: Surgery for primary and metastatic brain and spinal cord tumors.
• Cerebrovascular Surgery: Management of aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and cavernomas.
• Spine Surgery: Decompression and stabilization for degenerative disease, trauma, and tumors.
• Functional Neurosurgery: Deep brain stimulation (DBS), epilepsy surgery.
• Peripheral Nerve Surgery: Nerve decompression, repair, and tumor excision.
• Neuro-Trauma: Management of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury.

4. Orthopedic Surgery

• Joint Arthroplasty: Primary and revision hip, knee, and shoulder replacement.
• Orthopedic Trauma and Fracture Care: Management of musculoskeletal injuries.
• Sports Medicine: Arthroscopic reconstruction of ligaments and tendons (e.g., ACL, rotator cuff).
• Hand, Wrist, and Upper Extremity Surgery.
• Foot and Ankle Surgery.
• Orthopedic Oncology: Limb salvage surgery for bone and soft tissue tumors.

5. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

• Reconstructive Surgery:
• Breast reconstruction, craniofacial surgery (trauma, congenital), microsurgery and free flap reconstruction, lower extremity and trunk reconstruction, burn surgery, hand surgery.
• Aesthetic (Cosmetic) Surgery:
• Facial aesthetics (facelift, rhinoplasty), breast aesthetics (augmentation, lift), and body contouring (liposuction, abdominoplasty).

6. Vascular Surgery

• Aortic Disease: Open and endovascular repair (EVAR/TEVAR) of abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms.
• Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): Bypass surgery, angioplasty, and stenting.
• Carotid Artery Disease: Carotid endarterectomy and stenting for stroke prevention.
• Venous Disease: Management of deep vein thrombosis and varicose veins.
• Vascular Access: Creation and maintenance of access for hemodialysis.

7. Urologic Surgery (Urology)

• Urologic Oncology: Radical prostatectomy, nephrectomy, and cystectomy for cancer.
• Endourology: Minimally invasive management of kidney stones and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
• Reconstructive Urology: Urethral stricture disease, urinary diversion.
• Robotic and Laparoscopic Urology.

8. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (ENT)

• Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery: Resection and reconstruction for cancers of the larynx, pharynx, oral cavity, and salivary glands.
• Otology and Neurotology: Cochlear implantation, skull base surgery.
• Rhinology and Sinus Surgery.
• Laryngology and Voice Surgery.

9. Pediatric Surgery

• Neonatal Surgery: Correction of congenital anomalies (e.g., congenital diaphragmatic hernia, esophageal atresia, abdominal wall defects).
• Pediatric Oncology: Surgical management of childhood cancers (e.g., neuroblastoma, Wilms' tumor).
• General Surgery of Childhood: Management of appendicitis, pyloric stenosis, intussusception.

10. Transplant Surgery

• Abdominal Organ Transplantation: Kidney, liver, pancreas, and intestinal transplantation.
• Thoracic Organ Transplantation: Heart and lung transplantation.
• Organ Procurement, Preservation, and Living Donation.

11. Other Major Surgical Specialties

• Obstetrics and Gynecology:
• Major surgical procedures including Cesarean section, hysterectomy, and complex pelvic reconstructive surgery.
• Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (MIGS) for endometriosis and fibroids.
• Gynecologic oncology surgery.
• Ophthalmology:
• Surgical procedures of the eye including cataract surgery, corneal transplantation, glaucoma surgery, and vitreoretinal surgery.

12. Cross-Cutting Themes and Foundational Topics in Surgery

• Surgical Oncology: Multidisciplinary cancer care, surgical margins, neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies.
• Trauma, Emergency Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care:
• Management of the polytrauma patient, damage control surgery, and intensive care for surgical patients.
• Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery:
• Advances and comparative outcomes in laparoscopy, endoscopy, thoracoscopy, and robotic-assisted surgery across all disciplines.
• Surgical Education, Training, and Simulation:
• Innovations in residency and fellowship training, curriculum development, and skills assessment.
• Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, and Health Services Research:
• Surgical outcomes research, implementation of safety protocols (e.g., checklists), cost-effectiveness, and health policy.
• Global Surgery:
• Addressing the burden of surgical disease and improving access to surgical care in low- and middle-income countries.
• Surgical Innovation and Technology:
• Development of new surgical devices, instruments, imaging technologies, and techniques.
• Ethics and Professionalism in Surgery:
• Analysis of ethical dilemmas, end-of-life decision making, and professional conduct.
• Basic and Translational Science:
• Wound healing, surgical metabolism, immunology, oncology, and tissue engineering.