Neurosurgical Focus Call for Papers
New submissions should be prepared following the Instructions for Authors.
The subject matter of your manuscript must fit the monthly topic; if it does not fit the topic, your manuscript will not be processed for peer review.
Information concerning Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis
Please note that systematic reviews (summary of scholarly literature related to a particular research topic or question) and meta-analyses (statistical techniques to combine data from the examined individual research studies) will only be considered for publication if they represent a contribution to the existing literature, and provide insights that help guide practice. Similarly, reviews of national databases should not be submitted if they do not add substantially to our previous knowledge from previously published studies citing novel primary data.
Please submit your manuscript through Neurosurgical Focus submission site.
When you have logged in, click “Submit a Manuscript” and continue on with your submission. Please select the correct monthly topic from the pulldown menu choices. Complete all steps as directed, through to the Submit button.
Please note: submission deadlines are firm (midnight E.D.T. on the date listed each month) and no late submissions will be considered.
March 2021 – International women leaders in neurosurgery, past and present
Submission Deadline: November 1, 2020
Topic Editors: Shelly Timmons (co-lead), Gail Rosseau (co-lead), Karin Muraszko, Farideh Nejat, Mary Murphy, Katharine Drummond, Nelci Zanon
This issue will highlight various aspects of leadership by women in the field of neurosurgery globally. Submissions related to historical vignettes or biographies of women leaders are welcomed. Of additional interest would be manuscripts describing the establishment and rise of societies that support women in neurosurgery worldwide. We will also be seeking original scientific research on women in neurosurgery examining timelines of women entering the field, board certification patterns, faculty and promotion statistics, and other data that contribute to the development of leaders in the field, including those with a focus on the social sciences. Of interest would be comparisons of opportunities and challenges across different countries and cultures.
April 2021 – Controversies in the management of single suture craniosynostosis
Submission Deadline: December 1, 2020
Topic Editors: Concezio di Rocco (lead), John Kestle, Richard Hayward, Jesse Taylor
Despite gratifying progress there remain many areas of controversy in the management of children with single suture synostosis (SSS). Submissions of original material aimed at untangling these or other knots in the management of SSS are invited. They will undergo rigorous peer review by experts from neurosurgery and plastic/reconstructive surgery and evaluated for the degree to which they address a particular area of controversy. Such topics include, but are not limited to, the following: Genetics and epigenetics - What accounts for the heterogeneity of SSS. Ethics of management - Managing SSS in the child without significant deformity or one with actual or predicted developmental compromise. Cognitive development of children with SSS - Chasing that elusive causal link between SSS and cognitive development. Clinical management of SSS - From no intervention through suturectomy plus or minus orthosis (internal or external) to total calvarial remodeling, and how much weight should be given to the risk of raised intracranial pressure. Results – (1) Functional: Neurocognitive development and late recurrence of increased intracranial pressure. (2) Aesthetic: Assessing long- and short-term results of various surgical approaches and minimizing late-developing post-operative deformity.
May 2021 – Treatment of spinal cord and spinal axial tumors
Submission Deadline: January 1, 2021
Topic Editors: Mark Bilsky (lead), Ziya Gokaslan, John Shin, Nicolas Dea, and Fabio de Moraes
The treatment of metastatic and primary malignant and benign spine tumors is evolving at a rapid pace with the integration of new technologies and evidence-based medicine leading to significantly improved outcomes in this very complicated patient population. Many advances have been in the domain of radiation therapy, first with the development and integration of stereotactic radiosurgery and more recently with the proliferation of sites offering proton beam and carbon ion therapy. In parallel with radiation advances, surgeons have made great strides in integrating minimally invasive technique. In addition to percutaneous cement augmentation and separation surgery, a plethora of interesting technologies are being applied to the spine tumors such as percutaneous PMMA-augmented fenestrated pedicle screws, PEEK-carbon fiber screws, tubular retractors, endoscopy, the DaVinci robot, and spine laser interstitial thermotherapy (SLITT). We are interested in submissions exploring radiation and surgical advances that have demonstrated or have the potential to improve outcomes and reduce morbidity in patients with metastatic and primary spine tumors.
June 2021 – Biologics and Spine Fusion - supported by an unrestricted educational grant by Medtronics Inc.
Submission Deadline: February 1, 2021
Topic Editors: Allan Levi (lead), Chris Shaffrey, Regis Haid, Scott Boden, Michelle Clark, Marcus Mazur
The treatment of spinal disorders has been revolutionized over the last 25 years with the introduction of biologics to promote spinal fusion. The use of these products has become even more important in the era of minimally invasive spine surgery. Biologics for bone fusion are known to promote migration, differentiation, cellular activity or replacement of bone forming cells ultimately resulting in spinal fusion that can be quantitated on imaging studies. Commercial products designed to substitute of augment bone graft material range from growth factors, bone marrow aspirate including stem cells, demineralized bone matrix and ceramics. We are interested in submissions to the journal exploring the safety and efficacy of bone biologics in spine fusion that ultimately will improve the outcomes and reduce morbidity of patients undergoing spinal surgery.
July 2021 – Neurosurgical management of stroke, organization of stroke management, and A1 applications
Submission Deadline: March 1, 2021
Topic Editors: Elad Levy (lead), Phil Taussky, Peter Kan
A paradigm shift has been created, where stroke care is one of intervention and not only rehabilitation. With the development of technologically advanced devices, recanalization is more often successful. We must continue to focus on improvements in patient selection, time efficiencies, and education of all patients and other stakeholders involved in stroke care. We invite submissions demonstrating updated managements and improvements in areas of stroke care
August 2021 – Virtual and Augmented Reality
Submission Deadline: April 1, 2021
Topic Editors: Walter Jean (lead), Gavin Britz, Adrian Elmi-Terander, Francesco DiMeco, Cameron McIntyre
The first publications about Virtual- and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) in Neurosurgery appeared at the turn of the 21st century. The body of literature has grown exponentially since then, indicative of the large role that VR/AR is likely to play in the future. Applicable in nearly all sub-specialties of Neurosurgery, VR/AR has proven to be useful in most facets of daily practice, from patient engagement and education, to surgical planning and rehearsal, resident teaching, as well as anatomic investigations. Neurosurgeons may only have touched the “tip of the iceberg” in how to apply VR/AR for enhancing the safety, efficacy and precision of modern operative techniques. This issue will not only focus on the current applications of the technology, but explore germinating ideas and technological innovations that would broaden its future use.
Definitions:
VR: computer-generated simulation of a 3-dimensional image or environment, with which the user can interact through specially-designed equipment/tools
AR: technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user’s 3-dimensional view of the real world
September 2021 – Translational research advances in the evaluation and management of Moyamoya disease
Submission Deadline: May 1, 2021
Topic Editors: Edward Smith (lead), Giuseppe Lanzino, Gary Steinberg
Moyamoya has increasingly been recognized as a heterogenous group of arteriopathies that share common clinical and radiographic features. Despite these similarities, significant variability in disease progression and response to treatment persist, highlighting the need for accelerated research efforts to improve the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic outcomes for moyamoya patients. This issue will solicit manuscripts focused on translational advances and innovative approaches to the evaluation and management of moyamoya, including pathogenesis, genetic and mechanistic studies, animal models of disease, biomarkers, unique imaging modalities and novel therapeutics. Also encouraged are non-traditional methods of phenotype or risk-cohort stratification through analysis of genomic, proteomic, metabolomic or imaging datasets using artificial intelligence or similar methodologies in pursuit of these clinical objectives.
October 2021 – Ankylosing Spondylitis
Submission Deadline: June 1, 2021
Topic Editors: Doniel Drazin (lead), J Patrick Johnson, Michael Wang, Jens Chapman, Bernhard Meyer
Spinal columns afflicted with ankylosing disorders (AS) continue to pose a challenge for patients and practitioners alike. Management of spine fractures in AS is complex from a number of perspectives. Patients with AS usually are older and suffer from multiple significant medical comorbidities. The altered biomechanics of the spine and the injury pattern make these injuries highly unstable. It is the intent of this focus issue to provide a contemporary update including the clinical presentation, algorithms to guide surgical management and evaluations of current evidence regarding these treatments including recent recommendations to raise awareness on the surgeon’s role in it’s management.
November 2021 – Innovations in neurosurgical quality and safety
Submission Deadline: July 1, 2021
Topic Editors: Albert Telfeian (lead), Ziya Gokaslan, Zoher Ghogawala, Hyeun-Sung Kim, Tom Santarius
Quality and safety issues in neurosurgery are of paramount importance. Great advances have been made in systems process and technology in the past decade that have impacted neurosurgical quality and safety. This Focus issue proposal would address the following areas: Preventing wrong side surgery, Reducing surgeon and hospital liability, Social media & Communicating with patients, Technology to track patient outcomes.
December 2021 – Anesthetic and monitoring techniques in awake spinal surgery
Submission Deadline: August 1, 2021
Topic Editors: Wilson Zach Ray (lead), Asdrubal Falavigna, Praveen Mummaneni, Robert Bucelli
Awake spinal surgery is emerging as a new and innovative technique to further facilitate outpatient spine surgery. As we continue to trend to rapid recovery protocols and ERAS pathways awake spine surgery is going to soon be at the forefront and would be of significant interest of JNSPG readership.
Upcoming Issues (no longer accepting submissions)
November 2020 – Medical Legal Issues in Neurosurgery
Topic Editors: Bharat Guthikonda, Catherine Mazzola (co-leads), Jason Stacy, Mike Steinmetz, Joseph Cheng, Asdrubal Falavigna, Richard Wohns
December 2020 – ***New Topic*** Preparedness and guidelines for neurosurgical practice during pandemic
Topic Editors: Franco Servadei (lead), Chen Jincao, Miguel Arraez, John Golfinos, Mahmood Qureshi
January 2021 – Operative Imaging and Visualization
Topic Editors: Paul Larson (lead), Peter Nakaji, Walter Stummer
February 2021 – Gene and viral therapy for glioblastoma multiforme
Topic Editors: Nino Chiocca (lead), James Markert, Frederick Lang
