Article Types

• Original research — prospective or retrospective clinical studies, laboratory work
• Technique papers — description of an operative technique with outcome data
• Case series — consecutive series addressing a defined question
• Review articles — narrative or systematic, ordinarily by invitation
• Correspondence — comment on published work

Manuscript Preparation

• Structured abstract: background, methods, results, conclusion
• Title page with author affiliations, corresponding author details and ORCID identifiers
• Declaration of funding and of any conflict of interest
• Statement of ethical approval and, where applicable, patient consent
• References in a consistent recognised style
• Figures supplied separately at publication resolution, with legends

Ethical Requirements

Studies involving patients require approval from an institutional review board or research ethics committee, and the approval reference should be stated in the methods. Identifiable images require written patient consent. Clinical trials should be registered prospectively.

Peer Review

Submissions are assessed by the editor for scope and completeness, then sent for peer review. Authors are notified of the decision with reviewer comments. Revised manuscripts should be accompanied by a point-by-point response.

Authorship

Authorship should reflect substantial contribution to conception or design, acquisition or analysis of data, and drafting or critical revision — together with approval of the final version and accountability for the work.