British Journal of Surgery

British Journal of Surgery
Title	British Journal of Surgery
Discipline	Surgery
Abbreviation	BJS
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Surgical Research Society
Country	United Kingdom
Frequency	Monthly
History	1913–present
Impact	6.0
Impact-year	2023
Issn	0007-1323
Eissn	1365-2168

British Journal of Surgery is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal covering research in surgery, clinical trials, and perioperative care. Founded in the early 20th century, the journal has published original research, reviews, and editorials that have influenced surgical practice across the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, and the wider world. It has been associated with major surgical societies and has documented developments from early antisepsis through modern minimally invasive techniques.

History

The journal was established amid developments following the Second Boer War and the lead-up to World War I, a period marked by shifts in military medicine and institutional reform in hospitals such as St Thomas' Hospital, Guy's Hospital, and Royal London Hospital. Early editors and contributors included figures connected to the Royal College of Surgeons of England and surgeons who served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the First World War. Throughout the interwar years the journal reflected debates influenced by practitioners at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Mayo Clinic, and tracked innovations from pioneers like Harvey Cushing and William Halsted. During and after World War II the journal chronicled advances associated with wartime surgery, transfusion practice pioneered during the Battle of Britain, and the emergence of the National Health Service era. In the late 20th century, the journal incorporated reports on laparoscopic techniques inspired by work at Cleveland Clinic and developments from conferences such as the Royal Society of Medicine meetings. Recent decades have seen coverage of evidence-based surgery promoted by proponents affiliated with Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford University, and international cooperative groups.

Scope and content

The journal's remit encompasses clinical studies originating from institutions such as University College London, University of Edinburgh, Addenbrooke's Hospital, and centers in Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, and Melbourne. Content includes randomized controlled trials with collaborators from National Institute for Health and Care Research, systematic reviews echoing methods championed by David Sackett, cohort studies with registries like those maintained by Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and anatomical and translational research connected to laboratories at Imperial College London and Karolinska Institutet. The journal publishes reports relevant to surgical specialties practiced at centers such as Mount Sinai Hospital, Royal Marsden Hospital, and John Radcliffe Hospital, covering topics from vascular surgery linked to techniques from Guy de Chauliac lineage to colorectal procedures influenced by work at Mayo Clinic and hepatopancreatobiliary surgery reflecting collaborations with Asan Medical Center. Reviews and guidelines have been developed with input from bodies like the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland and international groups such as the European Society of Surgical Oncology.

Editorial leadership and peer review

Editorial leadership has historically included eminent surgeons and academics affiliated with institutions such as Cambridge University, Edinburgh Medical School, King's College London, and University of Glasgow. Editorial boards have featured members connected to professional organizations including the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and the American College of Surgeons. Peer review processes mirror standards employed by journals like The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine, with external reviewers drawn from centers such as Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University School of Medicine, University of Toronto, and Seoul National University Hospital. Ethical oversight aligns with declarations similar to practices advanced by committees such as the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and regulatory frameworks influenced by the Medical Research Council and national regulators.

Publication and access

Published monthly by a major academic publisher, the journal operates subscription and hybrid open-access models used by publishers including Wiley-Blackwell and others working with societies like the British Medical Association and the Royal Society. It is indexed in bibliographic resources alongside titles such as PubMed Central, Scopus, and Web of Science, and follows digital archiving practices comparable to those of JSTOR and institutional repositories at University College London Library. Special issues and supplements have been produced in partnership with conferences hosted by entities such as the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery and the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, and the journal participates in initiatives promoting data sharing similar to programs at Wellcome Trust and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Impact and reception

The journal's influence is reflected in citation metrics and practice-changing reports cited by guidelines from organizations such as National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, and specialty societies like the International Society of Lymphology. Landmark trials published in the journal have informed policies at institutions including NHS England, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and international health ministries in Canada, Australia, and Japan. Its role in disseminating methodological advances has been acknowledged in academic settings at Oxford University Press courses and professional development programs run by the Royal College of Surgeons of England and European Board of Surgery Qualification workshops.

Notable articles and contributions

The journal has published seminal randomized trials, cohort studies, and meta-analyses that intersect with work by researchers at Cochrane Collaboration, trialists from MRC Clinical Trials Unit, and investigators associated with PROSPERO registrations. Notable contributions include early 20th-century surgical technique descriptions that influenced surgeons from Guy's Hospital and later randomized studies that shaped practices reflected in guidelines by NICE and trauma protocols adopted after lessons from conflicts such as the Falklands War and humanitarian responses coordinated by Médecins Sans Frontières. Reviews and consensus statements published in the journal have been referenced alongside major textbooks from publishers like Elsevier and curricula at Harvard Medical School and Karolinska Institutet, underscoring the journal's ongoing role in advancing surgical science and practice.

Category:Medical journals Category:Surgery journals