Archives of Operative Medicine (AOM) welcomes submissions of original, high-quality manuscripts that contribute to clinical practice, surgical sciences, and interdisciplinary fields related to operative medicine. This guide provides detailed instructions for authors to prepare and submit their manuscripts for consideration.

 

1. General Principles

• Submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under review by any other journal.
• Manuscripts must be written in clear, academic English.
• All submissions must comply with ethical standards for research and publication.
• Manuscripts are submitted through our online system (via the “Submit” button).
• The corresponding author is responsible for all communications with the journal.

 

2. Article Types

The journal accepts the following manuscript types:

Article Type	Abstract Format	Word Count*	Peer Review
Original Research	Structured	5000–7000	Yes
Systematic Review / Meta-analysis	Structured	6000–8000	Yes
Narrative Review	Unstructured	4000–6000	Yes
Case Report / Case Series	Unstructured	2000–3000	Yes
Brief Report / Technical Note	Brief/Optional	2000–2500	Yes
Editorial	Not required	≤1500	No
Letter to the Editor	Not required	≤1000	Yes (light)

*Excluding abstract, references, tables/figures.

 

3. Abstract and Keywords

• Original Research and Systematic Reviews must include a structured abstract (250–300 words) with these headings:
• Background: Brief context and rationale
• Methods: Design, sample, analysis
• Results: Key numerical outcomes
• Conclusion: Implications of the findings

 Example — Structured Abstract:
Background: Laparoscopic techniques have become standard in many surgical procedures.
Methods: A prospective study involving 120 patients undergoing laparoscopic or open appendectomy.
Results: The laparoscopic group had significantly shorter recovery time (mean = 2.3 days).
Conclusion: Laparoscopy provides faster recovery and fewer complications.

• Case Reports and Narrative Reviews may use an unstructured abstract (150–250 words).
• Include 3–6 keywords, using MeSH terms where applicable.

 

4. Manuscript Structure

Applies to Original Research and Systematic Reviews

Each manuscript must include the following sections in order:

4.1 Title Page (submitted as a separate file)

• Full title (≤150 characters, no abbreviations)
• Running title (≤50 characters)
• Author names and institutional affiliations
• Corresponding author’s contact details
• ORCID iDs (recommended)

Example title:

"Comparison of Robotic and Open Hysterectomy in Obese Patients: A Multicenter Study"

 

4.2 Main Document (Blinded for Peer Review)

Include the following sections:

Abstract and Keywords

(see Section 3)

Introduction

• Define the clinical/research problem
• Brief literature background
• State study objective and hypothesis

Example:

Despite advances in robotic surgery, its role in obese populations remains underexplored. This study evaluates postoperative outcomes between robotic and open hysterectomy in obese patients.

Methods

• Study design and setting
• Sample: eligibility, recruitment, size calculation
• Ethics approval (with committee name and approval ID)
• Data collection tools, outcomes measured
• Statistical analysis (software, p-values, CI, models used)

Example:

Ethics approval was obtained from XYZ Hospital IRB (#2023-112). SPSS v26 was used; significance set at p < 0.05.

Results

• Present findings clearly and sequentially
• Use tables/figures to support (not duplicate) text
• Include p-values and effect sizes

Example:

The robotic group had a shorter mean hospital stay (1.8 vs 3.2 days; p = 0.002).

Discussion

• Interpret findings with reference to previous research
• Discuss clinical relevance and implications
• Acknowledge limitations

Example:

Although consistent with prior studies, our findings are limited by the small sample size and single-center design.

Conclusion

• Concisely summarize main takeaway

Example:

Robotic hysterectomy may be superior in obese patients due to shorter hospital stays and lower complication rates.

Acknowledgments (if applicable)

Conflict of Interest Statement

Example:

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Funding Statement

Example:

This study received no external funding.

References

• Use Vancouver style
• Cite in text as [1], [2]
• List references in the order they appear

Example:

1. Smith J, et al. Outcomes in minimally invasive surgery. J Surg Res. 2020;130(4):221–8.

Tables and Figures

• Submit at the end of the main document or as separate files
• Include descriptive legends
• Cite each in the text

Example Table Caption:

Table 1. Postoperative complications by surgical technique

 

5. Formatting Instructions

• File format: .doc/.docx (Word)
• Font: 12 pt Times New Roman
• Spacing: Double
• Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides
• Line numbering: Continuous (recommended)

 

6. Ethical Considerations

• Research involving humans or animals requires ethics committee approval and documentation
• Informed consent must be obtained where applicable
• Authors must disclose:
• Conflicts of interest
• Funding sources
• Author contributions (if required)

AOM follows the Declaration of Helsinki, ICMJE, and COPE principles.

 

7. Plagiarism and Misconduct

• All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software (e.g., iThenticate)
• Similarity index > 20% (excluding methods/references) may lead to rejection
• Fabrication, falsification, and duplicate submission are not tolerated

See Plagiarism Policy for full terms

 

8. Authorship Criteria

AOM follows ICMJE’s four authorship criteria:

1. Substantial contribution to the conception/design or acquisition/analysis of data
2. Drafting or revising the manuscript critically
3. Final approval of the version to be published
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work

Changes in authorship post-submission require written consent from all authors.