Clinical Spine Surgery accepts manuscript submissions through a submission service on another website.
Clinical Spine Surgery has specific instructions and guidelines for submitting articles. Those instructions and guidelines are readily available on the submission service site. Please read and review them carefully. Articles that are not submitted in accordance with our instructions and guidelines are more likely to be rejected.
Manuscript Submission
Clicking on the submission service links on this page will open our manuscript submission service website in a new browser window.
Submit a manuscript
Instructions for Authors
**Please note, our Instructions have changed. Please read carefully before submitting**
A New Editorial Direction for the Clinical Spine Surgery With Dr. Alexander R. Vaccaro MD, PhD becoming the new Editor-in-Chief of the Clinical Spine Surgery, there is going to be a significant change in the editorial direction and process for the journal. The journal will now be composed of six sections: Primary Research; Controversies in Spine Surgery; Narrative Reviews; Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; Surgical Techniques; Research Methodology, and The Business of Healthcare.
Please see the editorial from the April 2016 issue for more information.
Additionally, authors will be required to submit an abstract prior to submitting the entire manuscript. The deputy editors will review the abstracts, and if the abstracts meet the requirements of the journal, the authors will be invited to further develop the manuscript. In this way, we hope to streamline the review process for authors as well as the journal. Below is a brief description of the purpose of each section as well as the requirements for submission.
Primary Research (Deputy Editors: Safdar N. Khan, MD and Robert F. Heary, MD): The goal of the Primary Research section is to publish high-impact, clinically important articles in a time sensitive fashion. Consideration will only be given to Level 1, 2 or 3 studies with at least 50 subjects. Authors will initially submit the abstract for editorial review. Abstracts that do not meet these standards will be returned to the authors, and the articles will not be considered for publication. If the abstract is accepted, the authors will then be invited to submit the entire manuscript, and a formal peer review process will be initiated.
Proper abstract structure.
Controversies in Spine Surgery (Executive Editor: Gregory D. Schroeder, MD): The goal of the controversies section is to have world-renowned experts discuss a controversial spine topic, and for it to be structured similarly to debates at national spine meetings. Many of these topics will be determined by the editorial staff, and authors will be invited to participate; however, authors are invited to submit unsolicited proposals for this section. Proposals must include two attending physicians (one will be responsible for writing each side of the controversy). Additionally, the proposal must contain a 200-word abstract describing the controversy. All manuscripts will undergo a formal peer-review process.
For accepted proposals, and invited manuscripts, no formal abstract is needed. Each side of the controversy should be a complete manuscript that is no more than 1,000 words, with no more than two figures and no more than 10 citations. The two manuscripts will then be combined into a single article by the journal office.
Narrative Reviews (Deputy Editor: Jason W. Savage, MD):
The primary goal of the narrative reviews section is to provide a comprehensive overview of clinically relevant topics in spine surgery. Each review article will focus on a specific topic, and should include information on the epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, radiographic evaluation, nonoperative treatment, surgical indications and surgical treatment options. Each submission must also include an “authors preferred treatment” section with a treatment algorithm, and should summarize the pertinent outcomes data relevant to the topic. Authors must initially submit an abstract (200 words or less), outline and reference list. If the proposal is accepted, authors will be invited to further develop and submit the manuscript. The final manuscript will undergo a formal peer-review process.
No more than five authors are permitted on the final manuscript, and the first and last author must have completed medical school. The final abstract should be no more than 200 words, and the manuscript must be less than 4,000 words. No more than 10 figures will be permitted. A maximum of 60 citations are permitted, and 25% must be within the last 5 years.
Systematic Reviews/ Meta-Analyses (Deputy Editor: John D. Koerner, MD):
The goal of the systematic reviews is to answer clinically relevant questions. Reviews may also identify areas that are not reported well, and possibly inspire other investigators to perform studies to fill voids in our literature. All reviews must follow the guidelines for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses described by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). This consists of a 27-item checklist and four-phase flow diagram (http://www.prisma-statement.org).
Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, The PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement. PLoS Med 6(6): e1000097. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed1000097
Prior to performing the systematic review, an abstract describing the need for the review as well as the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study should be submitted. If the proposal is accepted, the author will be invited to complete the systematic review. When submitting the systematic review, the 27-item checklist must be submitted, and any deviation for the protocol should be explained. If the editorial staff does not feel the review follows the PRISMA guidelines, it will be returned to the author for revisions prior to undergoing a formal peer-review. If the guidelines have been sufficiently met, the manuscript will undergo the formal peer-review process.
Proper abstract structure.
All reviews must include the PRISMA checklist with page numbers, as well as a flow diagram with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The sources and methods used for the review should be described in detail so the study could be easily replicated. Reviews should include an Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections as outlined in the PRISMA checklist. The level of evidence should be reported for studies included in reviews. The highest level of evidence should be utilized when possible, but it is understood that some topics will not have level I or level II evidence. Lastly, two or three take home points should be identified by the authors based on the review's results.
Surgical Techniques (Deputy Editor: Mark F. Kurd, MD)
The goal of the surgical techniques section is to provide a single location where surgeons of all training levels can learn how experts in the field are performing common surgical techniques. In addition to a manuscript explaining surgical indications, patient positioning and setup, step-by-step instructions for the procedure, postoperative management and pearls and pitfalls, each submission will be required to submit a high-resolution 5-10 minute video demonstrating the key aspects of the procedure. All authors are required to initially submit an abstract (200 words or less). If accepted, the authors will be encouraged to develop and submit the entire manuscript and video. All manuscripts will undergo the formal peer-review process.
No more than five authors are permitted on the final manuscript, and the first and last author must have completed medical school. The final abstract should be no more than 200 words, and the manuscript must be less than 4,000 words. No more than 10 figures will be permitted. No citations are required, but if a specific described technique is being used, correct citations must be included. All manuscripts must be accompanied by a 5 - 10 minute video demonstrating the key aspects of the procedure. Manuscripts will not be accepted if the video is no adequate.)
Please see our Supplemental Digital Content section below for help with formatting videos.
Research Methodology (Deputy Editor: Christopher K. Kepler, MD, MBA):
The Research Methodology section is designed to help spine health care providers better understand the literature they are reading. A wide variety of topics will be considered for publication including: the interpretation of statistical metrics; understanding the importance of study design, and how different biases may affect the outcome of a study. Prior to submitting a full manuscript, please submit a proposal consisting of a title and abstract (< 200 words). If your abstract is approved, you will be invited to develop a manuscript on the topic.
The manuscript should be less than 1,000 words, be written to facilitate understanding by a practicing orthopedic surgeon, and must include three bulleted take home points.
The Business of Medicine (Deputy Editor: William E. Aaronson, Ph.D.): The goal of this section is to help physicians achieve a better understanding of the businesses and economic aspects of healthcare with a focus on implications for medical practice. Many of these topics will be identified by the editorial staff, and authors will be invited to participate; however, unsolicited topics will also be considered. Authors should submit an abstract (< 200 words), and if the abstract is accepted, the authors will be encouraged to submit a full manuscript for peer-review.
No more than five authors are permitted on the final manuscript. The final abstract should be no more than 200 words, and the entire manuscript should be no more than 4,000 words.
General Information
Ethical/Legal Considerations
A submitted manuscript must be an original contribution not previously published (except as an abstract or a preliminary report), must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere, and, if accepted, must not be published elsewhere in similar form, in any language, without the consent of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Each person listed as an author is expected to have participated in the study to a significant extent. Although the editors and referees make every effort to ensure the validity of published manuscripts, the final responsibility rests with the authors, not with the journal, its editors, or the publisher. All manuscripts must be submitted on-line through the journal's Web site at http://www.editorialmanager.com/clinspinesurgery. See submission instructions on this page, under “On-line manuscript submission.”
Patient Anonymity and Informed Consent
It is the author's responsibility to ensure that a patient's anonymity be carefully protected and to verify that any experimental investigation with human subjects reported in the manuscript was performed with informed consent and following all the guidelines for experimental investigation with human subjects required by the institution(s) with which all the authors are affiliated. Authors should remove patients' names and other identifying information from figures. If any identifying details appear in text, tables, and/or figures, the author must provide proof of informed consent obtained from the patient (i.e., a signed permissions form). Photographs with bars placed over eyes of patients should NOT be used in publication. If they are used, permission from the patient is required.
Conflicts of interest
Authors must state all possible conflicts of interest in the manuscript, including financial, consultant, institutional and other relationships that might lead to bias or a conflict of interest. If there is no conflict of interest, this should also be explicitly stated as ‘none declared.’ All sources of funding should be acknowledged in the manuscript. All relevant conflicts of interest and sources of funding should be included on the title page of the manuscript with the heading “Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding:”. For example:
Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding: A) has received honoraria from Company Z. B) is currently receiving a grant (#12345) from Organization Y, and is on the speaker's bureau for Organization X - the CME organizers for Company A. For the remaining authors none were declared.
Copyright
In addition, each author must complete and submit the journal's copyright transfer agreement, which includes a section on the disclosure of potential conflicts of interest based on the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals” (www.icmje.org/update.html).
A copy of the form is made available to the submitting author within the Editorial Manager submission process. Co-authors will automatically receive an Email with instructions on completing the form upon submission.
Open access
LWW's hybrid open access option is offered to authors whose articles have been accepted for publication. With this choice, articles are made freely available online immediately upon publication. Authors may take advantage of the open access option at the point of acceptance to ensure that this choice has no influence on the peer review and acceptance process. These articles are subject to the journal's standard peer-review process and will be accepted or rejected based on their own merit.
Authors of accepted peer-reviewed articles have the choice to pay a fee to allow perpetual unrestricted online access to their published article to readers globally, immediately upon publication. The article processing charge for Clinical Spine Surgery is $2,600. The article processing charge for authors funded by the Research Councils UK (RCUK) is $3,275. The publication fee is charged on acceptance of the article and should be paid within 30 days by credit card by the author, funding agency or institution. Payment must be received in full for the article to be published open access.
- Authors retain copyright
Authors retain their copyright for all articles they opt to publish open access. Authors grant LWW a license to publish the article and identify itself as the original publisher.
- Creative Commons license
Articles opting for open access will be freely available to read, download and share from the time of publication. Articles are published under the terms of the Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommerical No Derivative 3.0 which allows readers to disseminate and reuse the article, as well as share and reuse of the scientific material. It does not permit commercial exploitation or the creation of derivative works without specific permission. To view a copy of this license visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0.
- Compliance with NIH, RCUK, Wellcome Trust and other research funding agency accessibility requirements
A number of research funding agencies now require or request authors to submit the post-print (the article after peer review and acceptance but not the final published article) to a repository that is accessible online by all without charge. As a service to our authors, LWW identifies to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) articles that require deposit and transmits the post-print of an article based on research funded in whole or in part by the National Institutes of Health, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, or other funding agencies to PubMed Central. The revised Copyright Transfer Agreement provides the mechanism. LWW ensures that authors can fully comply with the public access requirements of major funding bodies worldwide. Additionally, all authors who choose the open access option will have their final published article deposited into PubMed Central.
RCUK and Wellcome funded authors can choose to publish their paper as open access with the payment of an article process charge (gold route), or opt for their accepted manuscript to be deposited (green route) into PMC with an embargo.
With both the gold and green open access options, the author will continue to sign the Copyright Transfer Agreement (CTA) as it provides the mechanism for LWW to ensure that the author is fully compliant with the requirements. After signature of the CTA, the author will then sign a License to Publish where they will then own the copyright. Those authors who wish to publish their article via the gold route will be able to publish under the terms of the Attribution 3.0 (CCBY) License. To view of a copy of this license visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. Those authors who wish to publish their article via the green route will be able to publish under the rights of the Attribution Non-commercial 3.0 (CCBY NC) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/). It is the responsibility of the author to inform the Editorial Office and/or LWW that they have RCUK funding. LWW will not be held responsible for retroactive deposits to PMC if the author has not completed the proper forms.
FAQ for open access
http://links.lww.com/LWW-ES/A48
Permissions: Authors must submit written permission from the copyright owner (usually the publisher) to use direct quotations, tables, or illustrations that have appeared in copyrighted form elsewhere, along with complete details about the source. Any permissions fees that might be required by the copyright owner are the responsibility of the authors requesting use of the borrowed material, not the responsibility of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Manuscript Submission
On-line manuscript submission: All manuscripts should now be submitted online through the new Web site at http://www.editorialmanager.com/clinspinesurgery. First-time users: Please click the Register button from the menu above and enter the requested information. On successful registration, you will be sent an e-mail indicating your user name and password. Print a copy of this information for future reference. Note: If you have received an e-mail from us with an assigned user ID and password, or if you are a repeat user, do not register again. Just log in. Once you have an assigned ID and password, you do not have to re-register, even if your status changes (that is, author, reviewer, or editor). Authors: Please click the Login button from the menu at the top of the page and log in to the system as an Author. Submit your manuscript according to the author instructions. You will be able to track the progress of your manuscript through the system. If you experience any problems, please contact Jonathan Kemmerer-Scovner, jonathan.scovner@wolterskluwer.com, phone: 215-521-8349. Requests for help and other questions will be addressed in the order received.
Preparation of Manuscript
Manuscripts that do not adhere to the following instructions will be returned to the corresponding author for technical revision before undergoing peer review. Please note that Clinical Spine Surgery is now requiring Structured Abstracts for new submissions.
Title page: Include on the title page (a) complete manuscript title; (b) authors' full names, highest academic degrees, and affiliations; (c) name and address for correspondence, including fax number, telephone number, and e-mail address; (d) address for reprints if different from that of corresponding author; and (e) sources of support that require acknowledgment (f) A conflict of interest statement.
The title page must also include disclosure of funding received for this work from any of the following organizations: National Institutes of Health (NIH); Wellcome Trust; Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI); and other(s).
Structured Abstracts and Key Words: Structured abstracts are required for Primary Research and Systematic Review submissions. Please limit structured abstracts to 300 words. The following subheads must be included in the Structured Abstract: Study Design, Objective, Summary of Background Data, Methods, Results, Conclusions. Do not cite references in the abstract, and limit the use of abbreviations and acronyms. List three to eight Key Words. Authors must to select the Level of Evidence of their study using the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine Table (http://www.cebm.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CEBM-Levels-of-Evidence-2.1.pdf)
Authors of all narrative reviews, surgical techniques, research methodology, and the business of healthcare manuscripts should submit an abstract 200 words or less that summarizes the manuscript.
Text: Primary research articles and systematic reviews must be organized into four main headings: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion. Define abbreviations at first mention in text and in each table and figure. If a brand name is cited, supply the manufacturer's name and address (city and state/country). Acknowledge all forms of support, including pharmaceutical and industry support, in an Acknowledgment paragraph. For all other articles, please be sure to include all of the headings discussed in the introduction to each section (e.g. surgical techniques should have surgical indications, patient positioning and setup, step-by-step instructions for the procedure, postoperative management and pearls and pitfalls).
In addition, please ensure that the abstract is included in the manuscript file, the text is double-spaced, and references are in superscript.
Abbreviations: For a list of standard abbreviations, consult the Council of Biology Editors Style Guide (available from the Council of Science Editors, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814) or other standard sources. Write out the full term for each abbreviation at its first use unless it is a standard unit of measure.
References: The authors are responsible for the accuracy of the references. Key the references (double-spaced) at the end of the manuscript. Cite the references in text in the order of appearance. Cite unpublished data-such as papers submitted but not yet accepted for publication and personal communications, including e-mail communications-in parentheses in the text. If there are more than three authors, name only the first three authors and then use et al. Refer to List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus for abbreviations of journal names, or access the list at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/tsd/serials/lji.html. Sample references are given below:
Journal article
1. Rand NS, Dawson JM, Juliao SF, et al. In vivo macrophage recruitment by murine intervertebral disc cells. J Spinal Disord. 2001;14:339-342.
Book chapter
2. Todd VR. Visual information analysis: frame of reference for visual perception. In: Kramer P, Hinojosa J, eds. Frames of Reference for Pediatric Occupational Therapy. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1999:205-256.
Entire book
3. Kellman RM, Marentette LJ. Atlas of Craniomaxillofacial Fixation. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1999.
Software
4. Epi Info [computer program]. Version 6. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 1994.
Online journals
5. Friedman SA. Preeclampsia: a review of the role of prostaglandins. Obstet Gynecol [serial online]. January 1988;71:22-37. Available from: BRS Information Technologies, McLean, VA. Accessed December 15, 1990.
Database
6. CANCERNET-PDQ [database online]. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 1996. Updated March 29, 1996.
World Wide Web
7. Gostin LO. Drug use and HIV/AIDS [JAMA HIV/AIDS Web site]. June 1, 1996. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/special/hiv/ethics. Accessed June 26, 1997.
Figures:
A) Creating Digital Artwork
- Learn about the publication requirements for Digital Artwork: http://links.lww.com/ES/A42
- Create, Scan and Save your artwork and compare your final figure to the Digital Artwork Guideline Checklist (below).
- Upload each figure to Editorial Manager in conjunction with your manuscript text and tables.
B) Digital Artwork Guideline Checklist
Here are the basics to have in place before submitting your digital artwork:
- Artwork should be saved as TIFF, EPS, or MS Office (DOC, PPT, XLS) files. High resolution PDF files are also acceptable.
- Crop out any white or black space surrounding the image.
- Diagrams, drawings, graphs, and other line art must be vector or saved at a resolution of at least 1200 dpi. If created in an MS Office program, send the native (DOC, PPT, XLS) file.
- Photographs, radiographs and other halftone images must be saved at a resolution of at least 300 dpi.
- Photographs and radiographs with text must be saved as postscript or at a resolution of at least 600 dpi.
- Each figure must be saved and submitted as a separate file. Figures should not be embedded in the manuscript text file.
Remember:
- Cite figures consecutively in your manuscript.
- Number figures in the figure legend in the order in which they are discussed.
- Upload figures consecutively to the Editorial Manager web site and enter figure numbers consecutively in the Description field when uploading the files.
Figure legends: Include legends for all figures. They should be brief and specific, and they should appear on a separate manuscript page after the references. Use scale markers in the image for electron micrographs, and indicate the type of stain used.
Color figures: The journal accepts for publication color figures that will enhance an article. Authors who submit color figures will receive an estimate of the cost for color reproduction. If they decide not to pay for color reproduction, they can request that the figures be converted to black-and-white at no charge.
Tables: Create tables using the table creating and editing feature of your word processing software (e.g., Word, WordPerfect). Do not use Excel or comparable spreadsheet programs. Group all tables in a separate file. Cite tables consecutively in the text, and number them in that order. Key each on a separate page and include the table title, appropriate column heads, and explanatory legends (including definitions of any abbreviations used). Do not embed tables within the body of the manuscript. They should be self-explanatory and should supplement, rather than duplicate, the material in the text.
Style: Pattern manuscript style after the American Medical Association Manual of Style (9th edition). Stedman's Medical Dictionary (27th edition) and Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th edition) should be used as standard references. Refer to drugs and therapeutic agents by their accepted generic or chemical names, and do not abbreviate them. Use code numbers only when a generic name is not yet available. In that case, supply the chemical name and a figure giving the chemical structure of the drug. Capitalize the trade names of drugs and place them in parentheses after the generic names. Use the metric system to express units of measure and degrees Celsius to express temperatures, and use SI units rather than conventional units.
Supplemental Digital Content
Supplemental Digital Content (SDC): Authors may submit supplementary materials via Editorial Manager that enhance their article's text to be considered for online posting. SDC may include standard media such as text documents, graphs, audio, video, etc. On the Attach Files page of the submission process, please select Supplemental Audio, Video, or Data for your uploaded file as the Submission Item. If an article with SDC is accepted, our production staff will create a URL with the SDC file. The URL will be placed in the call-out within the article. SDC files are not copy-edited by LWW staff, they will be presented digitally as submitted. For a list of all available file types and detailed instructions, please visit http://links.lww.com/A142.
SDC File Requirements
All acceptable file types are permissible up to 10 MBs. For audio or video files greater than 10 MBs, authors should first query the journal office for approval. For a list of all available file types and detailed instructions, please visit http://links.lww.com/A142.
SDC Call-outs
Supplemental Digital Content must be cited consecutively in the text of the submitted manuscript. Citations should include the type of material submitted (Audio, Figure, Table, etc.), be clearly labeled as “Supplemental Digital Content,” include the sequential list number, and provide a description of the supplemental content. All descriptive text should be included in the call-out as it will not appear elsewhere in the article.
Example:
We performed many tests on the degrees of flexibility in the spine (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, which demonstrates flexibility) and found our results inconclusive.
List of Supplemental Digital Content
A listing of Supplemental Digital Content must be submitted at the end of the manuscript file. Include the SDC number and file type of the Supplemental Digital Content. This text will be removed by our production staff and not be published.
Example:
Supplemental Digital Content 1.wmv
SDC File Requirements
All acceptable file types are permissible up to 10 MBs. For audio or video files greater than 10 MBs, authors should first query the journal office for approval. For a list of all available file types and detailed instructions, please visit http://links.lww.com/A142.
After Acceptance
Page proofs and corrections: Corresponding authors will receive electronic page proofs to check the copyedited and typeset article before publication. Portable document format (PDF) files of the typeset pages and support documents (e.g., reprint order form) will be sent to the corresponding author via e-mail. Complete instructions will be provided with the e-mail for downloading and printing the files and for faxing the corrected pages to the publisher. Those authors without an e-mail address will receive traditional page proofs. It is the author's responsibility to ensure that there are no errors in the proofs. Changes that have been made to conform to journal style will stand if they do not alter the authors' meaning. Only the most critical changes to the accuracy of the content will be made. Changes that are stylistic or are a reworking of previously accepted material will be disallowed. The publisher reserves the right to deny any changes that do not affect the accuracy of the content. Authors may be charged for alterations to the proofs beyond those required to correct errors or to answer queries. Proofs must be checked carefully and corrections faxed within 24 to 48 hours of receipt, as requested in the cover letter accompanying the page proofs.
Reprints: Authors will receive a reprint order form and a price list with the page proofs. Reprint requests should be faxed to the publisher with the corrected proofs, if possible. Reprints are normally shipped 6 to 8 weeks after publication of the issue in which the item appears. Contact the Reprint Department, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 351 West Camden Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, with any questions.
