Annals of Surgery

Note from Editor-in-Chief to Annals of Surgery

As we have passed the start of the new academic year, there is some important news to share with the readership of Annals of Surgery. First, we are pleased to announce that Annals of Surgery has continued to increase our Impact Factor. Our Impact Factor (IF) for 2021 is 13.787, a 6.7% increase from 2020. We remain the second highest ranked of all surgical journals behind JAMA Surgery. Perhaps more significant is that Annals of Surgery continues to be the “most cited" surgical journal. In 2021, Annals had over 65,600 citations, which is more than double the number of citations of any other major surgical journal in the world.

I am also pleased to announce some transitions in our editorial team. After nearly four years of tremendous effort as our Associate Editor, managing our colorectal papers, Tom Read is stepping down from this position to assume the position of the Executive Director of the American Board of Colorectal Surgery. Tom has been an outstanding Associate Editor and he will be greatly missed. Tom will be replaced as Associate Editor by Neil Hyman, MD. Neil is currently a Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of Chicago School of Medicine. Dr. Hyman has held many regional and national positions including being past President of the American Society of Colorectal Surgeons and having served as a Director of the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery. Neil has been an excellent member of the Editorial Board and I am sure he will do a great job of filling the big shoes left by Tom Read.

Next, we have added a seventh Associate Editor to our group. Due to the increasing number of Thoracic Surgical papers submitted to the journal, it was clear that we needed added expertise to help manage these papers. I am pleased to announce that Thomas A. D'Amico, MD, has accepted the position as Associate Editor for Annals and will primarily be in charge of managing papers related to Thoracic Surgery. Dr. D'Amico is currently the Gary Hock Endowed Professor and Chief of General Thoracic Surgery Program at the Duke University Medical Center. He also serves as the Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program at the Duke Cancer Institute. Dr. D'Amico has held leadership positions in the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Tom has extensive experience on other editorial boards and has been an excellent member of our Editorial Board for a number of years.

Finally, I want to welcome 17 new Editorial Board members that have been added to the group over the last month. They are all listed on the website, and all will be important additions to our group. In closing, I would like to thank our many authors, reviewers, editorial board, Associate Editors, editorial staff and of course those who read and cite the journal for helping Annals of Surgery maintain the continued high-level of excellence and to continue to be the most cited surgical journal in the world.

Keith D. Lillemoe, MD

Editor-in-Chief

Annals of Surgery

Due to the continued high volume of submissions and the resulting backlog of accepted papers, Annals of Surgery will need to initiate steps to address the problem. We encourage all potential authors to consider the companion journal Annals of Surgery Open: Perspectives on Surgical History, Education, and Clinical Approaches for their research as Annals of Surgery works to get through the journal backlog.

Brief Clinical Reports - As of November 2021 Annals of Surgery will no longer be accepting Brief Clinical Reports for publication. We encourage potential authors to consider submitting to our companion journal Annals of Surgery Open: Perspectives on Surgical History, Education, and Clinical Approaches, which will consider Brief Clinical Reports for publication. Interested authors can submit a Brief Clinical Report on the Annals of Surgery Open Editorial Manager site.

Letters to the Editor – As of November 2021 Annals of Surgery will no longer consider Letters to the Editor for publication in the journal. Annals of Surgery Open: Perspectives on Surgical History, Education, and Clinical Approaches will consider Letters to the Editor for both Annals of Surgery and Annals of Surgery Open. Interested authors can submit a Letter to the Editor on the Annals of Surgery Open Editorial Manager site.