Author Guidelines

General Regulations

Revista de Cirugía (formerly Revista Chilena de Cirugía) is a scientific dissemination body created and sponsored by the Chilean Surgical Society (Sociedad de Cirujanos de Chile). It publishes articles on medical topics grouped into: original articles, review articles, surgery updates, special documents, surgical techniques, clinical cases, images in surgery, letters to the editor, and editorials. We publish articles in Spanish, accompanied by an Abstract in English.

Submitted articles undergo double-blind peer review; this evaluation is anonymous, ensuring that authors and reviewers remain unknown to each other.

An article may be accepted, rejected, or accepted with minor/major revisions as requested by the reviewers.

Once reviewer comments are communicated, authors will have 30 days to make the required modifications and resubmit the revised manuscript.

If the necessary revisions are not submitted within the established timeframe, the article will be rejected and removed from the review process.

Human and Animal Rights

If the work involves human participants or animals, the author must ensure that the procedures followed ethical standards in accordance with the World Medical Association's Code of Ethics (Declaration of Helsinki) for human experimentation; the EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal experimentation (EU Directive 2010/63/EU); and the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (ICMJE). Authors must explicitly state in their manuscript that informed consent was obtained for human experimentation. Personal privacy rights must be strictly respected at all times.

Conflict of Interest

All authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships with other individuals or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work.

If no conflict of interest exists, the following statement must be included: «Conflicts of interest: None». Please also refer to Elsevier Conflict of Interest guidelines and the Help Guide for examples.

Declarations Inherent to Manuscript Submission

Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in abstract form). Upon acceptance, the author agrees that the article will not be published elsewhere in any form.

Authorship and Contributions

All listed authors must have made substantial contributions to:

1. Conception and design of the study, data acquisition, or data analysis and interpretation.
2. Drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
3. Final approval of the version to be published.

The maximum number of authors is limited to six for Original Articles, Review Articles, Surgery Updates, Surgical Techniques, and Special Documents; and to three for Case Series, Clinical Cases, and Images in Surgery. At least the first author must be a healthcare professional, preferably a physician.

Exceptions regarding the number of authors may be considered for multicenter or highly complex studies.

Author Identification

Authors must provide their full first names and surnames. Institutional affiliation refers to the institution where the reported study or clinical experience was conducted. In addition, an updated ORCID profile and the designated contributor roles are mandatory for each author. All authors must be registered in the metadata, detailing relevant biographical information.

Authorship Statement (CRediT Taxonomy)

Authors are encouraged to use the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) system. This taxonomy recognizes individual co-author contributions to scientific production across 14 distinct contributor roles.

Institutional Affiliation

Affiliation must correspond strictly to the institution where the research or clinical experience took place. Additional credentials, such as professional degrees, memberships in scientific societies, faculties, or university departments, should be entered in the Biographical Summary metadata section rather than the main institutional affiliation.

Changes to Authorship

Any addition, deletion, or rearrangement of author names is exceptional. Before an accepted manuscript is published, the corresponding author must submit a formal request to the Journal Editor containing:

• The reason for the requested change in authorship.
• Written confirmation (signed letter) from all authors agreeing to the modification.

Once the accepted manuscript is published online, authorship cannot be modified.

Copyright and Open Access Licensing

Upon manuscript acceptance, the corresponding author will be requested to complete a publishing agreement. Instructions will be sent via email.

Revista de Cirugía is an Open Access journal. All content is freely accessible, downloadable, shareable, and reusable under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license allows third parties to distribute and adapt the material—even commercially—provided proper attribution is given to the authors and the journal, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are indicated.

If copyrighted material from other sources is included, authors are responsible for obtaining written permission from the copyright holders and acknowledging the source appropriately.

Peer Review Process

Submitted manuscripts are assigned to a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 3 peer reviewers who are specialists in the relevant subject area.

Reviewers have 15 days to accept or decline the invitation. If accepted, they will have up to 30 days to complete and submit their evaluations.

Prior to peer review, manuscripts undergo an initial desk review to evaluate scope, formatting, and adherence to submission guidelines. Peer reviewers evaluate aspects such as:

• Originality and scientific contribution.
• Overall coherence between title, objectives, and conclusions.
• Adequacy and quality of figures and tables.
• Relevant and updated literature review.
• General comments and methodological rigor.

Reviewers may recommend: acceptance, minor revisions, major revisions, or rejection. In case of conflicting evaluations, the Editors make the final decision.

Plagiarism Detection

All manuscripts are screened for originality prior to peer review using the Similarity Check service powered by Crossref.

Manuscript Preparation and Reporting Guidelines

(Courtesy of Dr. Carlos Manterola)

Authors should use a reporting guideline and checklist tailored to their study design (PRISMA, CONSORT, STARD, STROBE, MInCir-ODS, PREPARE, AQUA) to ensure transparent and thorough reporting.

For assistance, consult the EQUATOR Network's decision flowchart: “Selecting the appropriate reporting guideline for your article”.

Additionally, the AI tool Penelope is available to assist authors in choosing the appropriate reporting checklist.

Manuscript Submission

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the [Online Submissions] portal on our website.

The submission file must feature a title page (title, short running title, authors, affiliations, contact info, ORCID, and roles) followed by the main document (full manuscript with title, abstract, keywords, body text, and references). Author names must include first name and surnames. Tables and figures should be placed at the end of the text, preceding the references, with their respective captions. All images must be labeled as "Figures" and also provided as separate high-resolution files.

Institutional Ethics Committee Approval

Original Articles and Clinical Cases should have explicit approval from a local institutional Ethics Committee, which must be declared within the text. Preference for publication will be given to manuscripts meeting this requirement.

Specific Guidelines by Section

Original Articles

Must present novel, relevant clinical or basic research. The body text must not exceed 2,500 words (excluding title page, abstract, acknowledgments, references, tables, and figures) and a maximum of 10 pages.

Manuscript structure:

• a) Abstract: Up to 250 words, structured into 5 sections: Objective, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Includes 3 to 5 keywords in Spanish and English based on MeSH terms.
• b) Introduction: Concise review of the problem, background knowledge, and clearly stated objectives.
• c) Materials and Methods: Describe study population, selection criteria, controls, methodological design, equipment, and procedures in reproducible detail. State compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and ethical approvals.
• d) Results: Clear, logical presentation of findings in past tense. Do not duplicate data between text and tables.
• e) Discussion: Address the primary study objective, critically contrast findings with relevant literature, and discuss study strengths, limitations, and potential biases.
• f) Conclusion: Brief summary of findings and clinical implications directly supported by the analyzed data.
• g) References: Maximum of 40 references in Vancouver format, including DOI where available.
• h) Tables and Figures: Maximum of 10 figures. All must include descriptive captions and be submitted as separate image files.

Review Articles

Comprehensive, up-to-date narrative reviews of a surgical topic or technique written by subject-matter experts.

• Unstructured abstract up to 250 words with English title and abstract.
• The "Materials and Methods" section must specify literature search engines and keywords used.
• 3 to 5 keywords (MeSH).
• Maximum length: 2,500 words; up to 40 references.

Surgery Updates (Cirugía al Día)

Reflective essays and expert perspectives on academic, clinical, or philosophical aspects of surgery written by national or international leaders.

• Unstructured abstract up to 250 words (in Spanish and English).
• Maximum length: 2,500 words.
• 3 to 5 keywords (Spanish and English).
• References: up to 40.

Surgical Techniques

Detailed descriptions of novel surgical techniques or substantial modifications of established procedures.

• Unstructured abstract up to 250 words (with English abstract).
• Maximum length: 2,500 words.
• 3 to 5 keywords.
• References: up to 15.

Clinical Cases / Case Series

Case reports or series offering significant contributions to medical knowledge. Written informed consent from patients for publication of data and photographs is mandatory.

• Abstract up to 180 words (structured or unstructured) with English version.
• Maximum length: 1,700 words (Brief Introduction, Case Report, Concise Discussion).
• Maximum 6 tables/figures combined; up to 3 authors.
• References: maximum of 20.

Classification Criteria by Case Count:

• Case Reports: up to 2 cases.
• Case Series: 3 to 9 cases.
• Original Articles: 10 cases or more.

Letters to the Editor

• Maximum length: 1,000 words (including references).
• Maximum of 3 authors.

Images in Surgery

• Up to 200 words (including short reference list).
• Up to 4 images.
• Title in Spanish and English (no keywords required).
• Maximum of 3 authors and up to 5 references.

Special Documents

Historical reviews or written testimonials related to the practice and evolution of surgery.

• Maximum 2,500 words with abstract and keywords.
• References: up to 40.

Bibliographic References

References must follow the Vancouver style, numbered consecutively in order of citation in superscript (before periods, without parentheses; e.g., Greenway⁴).

• If 6 or fewer authors: list all authors. If 7 or more: list the first 6 followed by et al.
• Abbreviate journal titles according to Index Medicus / PubMed.
• Standard format: Author(s) Surname Initial(s). Article title. Journal Name. Year;Volume(Issue):Page range. DOI
• Self-citations should not exceed 3 references.

Tables

Tables must have a concise descriptive title and be numbered consecutively. They must be self-explanatory and avoid duplicating data presented in the text. Define all abbreviations in footnotes. If using data from previously published sources, submit written reproduction permissions.

Figures and Illustrations

• "Figure" applies to graphs, photographs, X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, etc.
• Accepted formats: JPG or TIFF, with a resolution of 300 to 350 dpi.
• Histology images must indicate staining method and magnification level.
• All identifying patient features must be completely removed.
• Maximum 10 figures for Original and Review articles; maximum 6 for Clinical Cases.

Captions / Legends

Each figure must have an explanatory caption provided on a separate page, detailing relevant patient data (age, sex, diagnosis) and explaining all symbols, arrows, or markers used.

Statistics

Describe statistical methods with sufficient detail in Materials and Methods to enable verification of reported results. Report appropriate indicators of measurement error or uncertainty (e.g., standard deviations, confidence intervals). Specify the statistical software used.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledge only individuals or institutions that contributed substantially to the study.

File Size Limit

The total submission file package must not exceed 25 MB.

Post-Acceptance

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

A permanent DOI is assigned to each published article upon initial electronic publication, ensuring persistent linking and indexing for in-press and published documents.

Author Proofs

PDF page proofs will be sent by email to the corresponding author. At this stage, only minor typographical or formatting corrections are permitted; no substantive changes to the accepted text will be accepted.

Author Inquiries

Authors can track manuscript status by logging into the submission portal: http://revistacirugia.cl.

2. Editorial Board (Cuerpo Editorial) HTML

Editor-in-Chief

Prof. Dr. Julio Yarmuch Gutierrez, Universidad de Chile, Chile

Associate Editor

Dr. Manuel Gonzalo Figueroa-Giralt, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Chile

Editorial Board

• Dr. Horacio Asbun, Miami Cancer Institute, United States
• Dr. René Adam, Hôpital Universitaire Paul Brousse, France
• Dr. Xavier de Aretxabala, Clínica Alemana, Chile
• Dr. Guillermo Bannura, Hospital Clínico San Borja-Arriarán, Chile
• Dr. Carlos Benavides, Hospital Clínico San Borja-Arriarán, Chile
• Dr. Ítalo Braghetto, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Chile
• Dr. Carlos Cárcamo, Universidad Austral de Chile, Chile
• Dr. Wilfredo Calderón, Hospital Del Salvador, Chile
• Dr. Attila Csendes, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Chile
• Dr. Paulo Herman, University of São Paulo, Brazil
• Dr. Arnulf Hoelscher, Agaplesion Markuskrankenhaus Frankfurt, Germany
• Dr. Juan Hepp, Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile
• Dr. Ricardo Espinoza González, Universidad de los Andes, Chile
• Dr. Nicolás Jarufe, Department of Surgery, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile
• Dr. Arturo Madrid, Clínica Alemana, Chile
• Prof. Dr. Carlos Manterola, Universidad de La Frontera, Chile
• Dr. Anamaría Pacheco F., Hospital de Urgencia Asistencia Pública, Chile
• Dr. Manuel Pera, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
• Dr. Mitsuro Sasako, Hyogo College of Medicine Nishinomiya, Japan
• Dr. Eduardo Targarona, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
• Dr. Bruno Zilberstein, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil

Journal Manager, Metrics Analyst, and Platform Support

Prof. Ítalo Costa-Roldán, Chile

3. About the Journal (Acerca de la Revista) HTML

About the Journal

Revista de Cirugía is a scientific dissemination body dedicated to surgical knowledge and activity. Its target audience includes general surgeons, surgical subspecialists, physicians from other clinical specialties, general practitioners, and healthcare students. We do not publish pediatric surgery articles.

The journal serves surgeons and other medical specialists by publishing original and unpublished contributions in medical sciences, particularly basic and clinical research, review articles, and related formats. Its mission is to disseminate and update medical and surgical knowledge. It is published on a bimonthly basis.

Revista de Cirugía has been affiliated with and sponsored by the Chilean Surgical Society (Sociedad de Cirujanos de Chile) since 1952.

Contact and Subscriptions

For subscriptions and further information, please call: (+56 2) 2236 2831 or write to: sociedad@cirujanosdechile.cl.

4. Editorial Policies (Políticas Editoriales / Enfoque y Alcance) HTML

Focus and Scope

Revista de Cirugía is an organ for the dissemination of surgical knowledge and clinical activity. Its target audience comprises surgeons, medical specialists, general practitioners, and healthcare students. We do not publish articles on pediatric surgery.

It provides surgeons and related specialists a platform to publish original, unpublished research in medicine—specifically basic and clinical research, narrative reviews, and technical notes.

The journal aims to disseminate and update general medical and surgical knowledge. It is published on a bimonthly schedule.

Revista de Cirugía is affiliated with and sponsored by the Chilean Surgical Society (Sociedad de Cirujanos de Chile) since 1952.

For subscriptions and inquiries, call: (+56 2) 2236 2831 or email: sociedad@cirujanosdechile.cl.

Publication Frequency

This journal is published bimonthly (6 issues per year).

In addition, selected accepted articles may be published online as Ahead of Print prior to their inclusion in a scheduled issue.

Open Access Policy

This is an Open Access journal, meaning that all content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without prior permission from the publisher or the author, in accordance with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition.

Terms of Use

Articles published in this journal are subject to the following terms:

The Sociedad de Cirujanos de Chile retains the commercial/publishing rights of published articles while promoting reuse under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Users are free to share and adapt the material provided that:

1. Proper attribution is given to the authors and original source (journal, publisher, URL, and DOI).
2. The applicable license terms are clearly referenced.
3. Each article is assigned a persistent DOI (Digital Object Identifier).
4. Readers maintain free, unhindered access to all published content.

Article Processing Charges (APC)

This journal does not charge any fees for submission, editorial processing, or publication of articles (no APCs).

Revision Deadlines

Upon receiving reviewer comments, authors will have 30 days to complete revisions and resubmit their manuscript.

Failure to submit the revised version within this timeframe will result in rejection and removal of the manuscript from the review workflow.

Ethical Policies

Our journal requires transparent disclosure of conflicts of interest, adherence to human and animal welfare ethics, and explicit informed consent documentation for all published articles. Rigorous compliance checkpoints are maintained throughout the editorial workflow.

Ethics and Data Access

During manuscript submission, authors confirm compliance with the journal's Author Guidelines:

• Human and Animal Rights: Any study involving human or animal experimentation must declare compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant international regulations.
• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any personal, institutional, or financial conflicts of interest.
• Informed Consent: Written informed consent must be secured for all participating patients or individuals whose clinical data/photographs appear in the manuscript.
• Anonymity: The identity of all subjects involved in the study must remain strictly protected and anonymized.
• Copyright & Intellectual Property: Authors grant commercial publication rights to the Sociedad de Cirujanos de Chile while retaining intellectual property rights under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Editorial Workflow

During peer review, editors verify the accuracy of ethical declarations, conflicts of interest, and patient consent.

If inconsistencies or missing information are detected, the editorial team contacts the corresponding author to request prompt clarification or revisions.

DOI Assignment

Upon final acceptance, an individual DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is automatically assigned to the manuscript and deposited in Crossref.

Archiving and Repositories

Following layout and typesetting, manuscripts are simultaneously deposited in SciELO Chile with their respective DOIs for preservation and indexation.

Published articles are archived in the SciELO Network (scielo.org), the SciELO Chile repository, and are in the process of inclusion in the CLOCKSS digital preservation archive.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

Corrections

Errors identified post-publication that warrant formal amendments will be handled via an erratum or corrigendum. Since articles are published online In Press upon acceptance, authors are strongly urged to review proof versions carefully.

Corrections will appear in the next regular issue linked to the original article. Complex cases will be evaluated individually by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board.

Article Retractions

Severe breaches of publication ethics (duplicate publication, ghost/honorary authorship, plagiarism, or fraudulent data) will lead to formal retraction following the COPE Retraction Guidelines.

The retraction procedure consists of:

1. Adding a formal retraction notice cover page and applying a "Retracted" watermark to every page of the online PDF.
2. Removing the XML version of the manuscript.
3. Publishing a formal notice titled «Retraction: [Article Title]» in the next issue, linked to the original record.
4. Signatures by the authors, institution, ethics committee, and/or Editor-in-Chief.

Expressions of Concern

When substantial concerns arise regarding the integrity or conduct of a submitted or published work, the Editor-in-Chief will seek investigation by the authors' institutional ethics committee. The journal may publish an Expression of Concern while the formal inquiry is ongoing.

Advertising Policy

Content published in Revista de Cirugía is entirely independent of commercial interests, sponsored agreements, or advertiser influence. We do not display advertising on our online platforms.

Plagiarism Detection

Prior to peer review, all submissions are screened for textual overlap and originality using Crossref's Similarity Check system.

Author Identification

All authors must provide full first and last names along with their primary institutional affiliation where the research was performed. Inclusion of an active, verified ORCID identifier is mandatory for all contributors.