EDITORIAL POLICY

Preprints

RCBC encourages open access and information sharing, aiming to generate knowledge among researchers who need it to support their work. In this context, RCBC accepts manuscripts that have been self-archived in preprint repositories, such as: SciELO Preprints, arXiv, MedRxiv, Peer J, OSF among others, provided that the repository does not impose restrictions on copyright or the author’s reuse rights.

A preprint is a complete version of a scientific work that has not yet undergone peer review. Preprints operate independently of the journal, and the posting of a preprint does not interfere with the peer review process. RCBC recommends depositing manuscripts in SciELO Preprints.

RCBC requires authors to complete the Single Author Declarations Form (which also includes whether the work is a preprint and compliance with Open Science). This form must be submitted as a supplementary file to the manuscript and will be made available to reviewers.

Peer Review Process

RCBC adopts a rigorous double-anonymous peer review process, thereby ensuring that both author and reviewer identities remain confidential throughout the entire evaluation of the manuscript. This model is intended to guarantee an impartial, transparent assessment based on scientific merit, free from external influences.

All manuscripts submitted to RCBC are evaluated by independent experts in the relevant research area, who assess aspects such as originality, methodological validity, scientific relevance, and potential impact of the findings. Reviewers are responsible for providing detailed reports, highlighting the strengths and limitations of the study and suggesting possible corrections or improvements.

The final version of each article includes the name of the editor responsible for the manuscript, recognizing their role in the scientific review and reinforcing the integrity of the editorial process.

Transparency Policy and Peer Review Options

RCBC adheres to the practices recommended by SciELO within the Open Science framework, emphasizing transparency in the peer review process. Approved articles will identify the individual responsible for the scientific evaluation, in accordance with the following guidelines:

• Disclosure of the Associated  Editor’s Name: All approved articles will include, at the end of the text, the identification of one of the following individuals responsible for the evaluation process:
  • The reviewer’s name, when explicit consent for disclosure is provided;
  • The name of the associated editor, in cases where the reviewer opts for anonymity;
  • The editor-in-chief’s name, individually or jointly with the handling editor, when necessary.

This practice ensures editorial transparency and traceability of the evaluation process, even in anonymous review contexts, in accordance with the indexing criteria of the SciELO Brazil collection.

• Peer Review Transparency Options:
  • Publication of Approved Articles Reports: Reviewer reports may be published alongside the final article, with or without their identification. This aims to enhance process transparency and acknowledge the reviewers’ work.
  • Mutual Identity Disclosure: Authors and reviewers may choose to disclose their identities during the evaluation process. This model fosters greater interaction and direct scientific exchange but is optional and dependent on mutual consent.

Open Data

RCBC endorses the FORCE11 Joint Declaration of Data Citation Principles, recognizing that research data are legitimate scientific outputs, citable and of equal relevance to articles in the academic record. RCBC strongly encourages the responsible sharing of data as an essential practice to ensure transparency, reproducibility, and reliability of scientific findings.

Authors are encouraged to share, whenever possible, the following types of data:

• Raw and processed data, including laboratory results, statistical data, medical images, among others;
• Software, algorithms, and source code used in data analysis or research development;
• Protocols, methods, and detailed materials (e.g., surgical models, operating guides, experimental procedures);
• Research instruments such as questionnaires, forms, interview or assessment scripts;
• Audio, video, or image records, when part of the scientific investigation and properly authorized.

RCBC recommends that data be deposited in reliable public repositories, preferably with Digital Object Identifier (DOI) assignment. The main recommended platform is:

• SciELO Data – RCBC’s official repository for scientific datasets, integrated into the SciELO Network.

Other acceptable options include:

• re3data.org (international directory of data repositories);
• Platforms such as Figshare, Zenodo, Dryad, OSF, among others, depending on the nature of the data.

When submitting a manuscript to RCBC, authors must include a section entitled “Data Availability and Sharing” after the References, following the models below:
 

Fees

Article Processing Charge

Open access publication ensures wide dissemination of scientific knowledge but involves operational costs for the processing and editing of manuscripts.

If the manuscript is accepted for publication, an Article Processing Charge (APC) will apply in the amount of:

• R$ 2,500.00 (two thousand and five hundred reais) / US$ 500.00  (five hundred dollars), to be paid by the authors.
• For articles in which the first or last author is a current member in good standing of the Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões (CBC), this fee will be reduced to R$ 1,500.00 (one thousand and five hundred reais) / US$ 300.00 (three hundred dollars).

For more information about the Article Processing Charge (APC), please contact revista@cbc.org.br.

Responsibility for Translation

For manuscripts submitted in Portuguese and accepted for publication, authors are responsible for providing the English translation. RCBC requires that all accepted manuscripts be translated into English by qualified professionals. Additionally, authors must provide a certificate attesting to the quality and authenticity of the translation, which must be sent to the following email address: revista@cbc.org.br.

To assist authors in choosing reliable translation services, RCBC suggests the following companies and translators:

• Marcel Milcent: marcelmilcent@gmail.com
• Editora Cubo: comercial@editoracubo.com.br
• Prime Translations: comercial2@primetranslations.com.br 
• Alisson Correia: alissoncorreia@aptoseditorial.com

Authors are encouraged to contact these providers directly to discuss their translation needs and ensure the accuracy and quality of the English text. Submission of the translation certificate is essential for validating the quality and accuracy of the translation provided.

Policy on Research Ethics, Misconduct, Errata, and Retraction

RCBC considers ethical integrity the cornerstone of scientific research and patient care. Therefore, it adopts and supports the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Council of Science Editors (CSE), and World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) guidelines, thereby ensuring compliance with the highest standards of ethics in scientific publishing.
To ensure ethical conduct in academic work publications, materials submitted to RCBC must follow the guidelines below:

Original Content and Duplicate Publication

• RCBC publishes original content only. At the time of submission, authors must confirm that the manuscript has not been previously published, in whole or in part, in another journal, and is not under consideration elsewhere.

• If an article has been previously submitted to another journal and is definitively rejected before submission to RCBC, it may be considered for evaluation.

Data Fabrication and Falsification

RCBC strongly condemns data and image fabrication or falsification practices, including:

• Data or images fabrication: creation of false or non-existent data.

• Data or images falsification: intentional or misleading manipulation of information, distorting research results.

Plagiarism and Authorship

Plagiarism occurs when an author attempts to present previously published content as original. To prevent this practice, RCBC uses Turnitin to detect similarities in submitted manuscripts.

Furthermore, the concepts, ideas, and opinions expressed in the articles, as well as the accuracy of citations, are the sole responsibility of the authors (see: FAPESP Code of Good Scientific Practice).

Erratum and Retraction

If misconduct is identified, the RCBC’s editorial board will take appropriate action, following the SciELO Brazil Collection Guide for Retraction Recording and Publication. Depending on the severity of the case, the journal may:

• Publish an erratum, if it is necessary to correct a minor error that does not compromise the integrity of the study.

• Issue an official retraction, if the misconduct compromises the results and reliability of the research.

Honest errors and differences of interpretation are not considered misconduct

Concepts, ideas, or opinions expressed in manuscripts, as well as the origin and accuracy of the citations contained therein, are the sole responsibility of the author(s). In cases of confirmed misconduct, the editorial board will act in accordance with national and international guidelines and issue a retraction.

Conflict of Interest Policy

RCBC requires that all authors declare potential conflicts of interest, ensuring transparency and integrity in scientific publishing. A conflict of interest occurs when financial, professional, or personal factors may influence — or appear to influence — the interpretation of data or the presentation of results. 

Authors must provide a detailed statement of any relevant interests, including:

• Financial: funding received, stock ownership, consulting, honoraria, patents, equipment donations, or links with companies related to the study.
• Non-financial: academic, institutional, ideological, political, or family involvement that may influence the research.

Examples of Conflicts of Interest

• Receiving funds or support from pharmaceutical companies or medical device manufacturers.
• Consulting or stock ownership in companies that may benefit from the study findings.
• Patent rights on products or technologies discussed in the article.
• Personal or family relationships with institutions that may influence the manuscript’s content.

Declarations by Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers must also declare conflicts of interest before accepting responsibility for a manuscript. In case of conflict:

• The editor must refrain from handling the evaluation and transfer the manuscript to another editor without conflict;
• The reviewer must decline the invitation to evaluate.

Conflicts may include:

• Recent collaborations with the authors.
• Current or recent institutional affiliation.
• Financial conflicts or direct competition on the manuscript’s subject.
• Involvement in patents or products related to the article’s content.
   

Declaration Relevance

Declaring conflicts of interest does not automatically imply rejection of manuscripts or exclusion of reviewers, but it ensures transparency for readers, reviewers, and the scientific community. Deliberate failure to disclose conflicts of interest by any party may be considered a serious ethical violation, leading to retraction or other editorial measures.

Mandatory Declaration

Authors must complete and attach the Single Author Declaration Form at the time of submission. 

The completed form must be submitted along with the manuscript as a Supplementary File.

If no conflicts exist, the following statement must be included in the manuscript: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to this study.

Use of Similarity-Checking Software

All manuscripts submitted to RCBC undergo similarity checking using Turnitin software, as part of the journal’s commitment to scientific and editorial integrity. This check occurs at the initial stage of the editorial process before peer review.

Similarity checks are carried out to identify portions of the manuscript that overlap with previously published material in journals, books, institutional repositories, or online sources. The analysis of the similarity report considers not only matching passages but also context and adequacy of citations.

When unjustified similarities are detected, or when they compromise the manuscript’s originality, the manuscript may be:

• Returned to the authors for review and correction, or
• Rejected, in cases where the similarity is deemed severe.

The initial analysis is conducted by the scientific editorial team. Associate editors may recommend editorial actions based on this analysis, but the final decision on rejection rests exclusively with the editor-in-chief. 

The use of Turnitin is a support tool for ethical evaluation and does not replace the critical judgment of editors and reviewers. RCBC follows the FAPESP Code of Good Scientific Practice and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in addressing cases of academic misconduct.

Authors with questions about this policy should contact the RCBC editorial team prior to submission.

Adoption of Artificial Intelligence Resources

Authors must declare the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the writing process when submitting their manuscripts to RCBC. This declaration applies exclusively to the drafting and refinement stage of the text and does not cover the use of AI for data analysis and interpretation of research results.

The use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies must be restricted to improving the readability and overall writing of the manuscript, always under human supervision.

Authors are responsible for reviewing and editing any AI-generated content, ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of the information, as these systems may produce inaccurate, incomplete, or biased content.

Authors’ Responsibility

AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors, as authorship implies contributions and responsibilities that only humans can fulfill. The author(s) assume full responsibility for the final content of the manuscript and the accuracy of the published information.

RCBC follows the guidelines of the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and SciELO Network’s Guide on the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools and Resources in Research Communication. According to these guidelines:

• Authorship must reflect significant intellectual contributions, and AI tools do not have the capacity to assume ethical and legal responsibility for a scientific work.
• The use of generative AI must be clearly and thoroughly disclosed in the manuscript, ensuring full transparency in the editorial process.
• Concealing the use of AI in scientific writing is considered an ethical breach that violates the principles of transparency and academic integrity.

Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools by the Journal

RCBC may use Artificial Intelligence tools only for editorial purposes, such as similarity detection (plagiarism), reference checking, metadata formatting support, and language review. No editorial decision will ever be made solely by AI, ensuring that the evaluation and review of manuscripts are conducted by human experts.

If the journal uses any AI software, it will be disclosed in this section.

Declaration on the Use of Generative AI in Writing

To ensure transparency in the use of generative AI, authors must include a specific statement in the manuscript, placed before the References section.

• During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used the [Tool/Service Name] for [specific purpose, such as grammar enhancement, text structuring, or translation]. After using this technology, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as necessary, taking full responsibility for the final published text.

If no generative AI tool has been used, this declaration is not required.

RCBC reinforces its commitment to ethics in scientific publishing and transparency in the use of emerging technologies, ensuring that all editorial practices comply with the highest international guidelines.

Sex and Gender Issues

RCBC follows the Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines, which guide the reporting of sex and gender information in study design, data analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of results.

Authors must:

• Integrate sex and gender analysis into study design whenever research involves humans, animals, or eukaryotic cells.
• Specify how sex and gender concepts were considered or justify their absence, highlighting any limitations regarding the generalization of findings.
• Clearly define the terms used, avoiding ambiguity or confusion between sex (biological attributes) and gender (social construct).

For greater precision, authors are encouraged to consult SAGER’s guidelines: Sex and Gender Equity in Research. They provide a comprehensive framework for reporting sex and gender information in study design, data analysis, results, and interpretation.

Ethics Committee

All studies involving human beings or human tissue must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki  and must have been approved by the local Institutional Research Ethics Committee. Accordingly, in the Methods section, authors must specify the approval (CAAE number and opinion number for Brazil) and the Ethics Committee that reviewed the study.

Experimental studies involving animals must follow the standards established in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., United States), of 1996, and the Ethical Principles in Animal Experimentation (Colégio Brasileiro de Experimentação Animal – COBEA), of 1991.

This information must be included in the Methods section, in accordance with ARRIVE recommendations and PREPARE Guidelines, thereby ensuring a robust experimental design that encompasses aspects such as research relevance, choice of animal model, handling procedures, and training of the research team.

For all animal and human studies, the sex of the subjects must be reported. If both sexes are included, the number of each must be stated, along with whether sex was considered in the statistical analysis. If only one sex was included, a justification must be provided. For cell culture studies, the sex of the primary or tissue-derived cells must be specified. Authors are encouraged to indicate the sex of cell lines as well. If materials from both sexes were used without distinction, this must be stated clearly.

Copyright

All articles published in the Revista do Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões (RCBC) are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0). This means that the content may be copied, distributed, displayed, adapted, and reused for any purpose, including commercial use, provided proper attribution is given to the author(s) and RCBC, with a complete citation of the original publication. Full license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.pt. Authors retain unrestricted copyright and, in exchange, grant the journal the right of first publication.

Intellectual Property and Terms of Use

The intellectual property of published content belongs to the authors, as established by the CC-BY 4.0 license. The RCBC website, its brand, visual identity, and information architecture are protected by their own copyrights and are not covered by the CC-BY license. Any reuse or adaptation of the journal’s technical content must refer exclusively to scientific articles, not extending to the layout, logos, or systems of the editorial platform.

Authors retain unrestricted copyright over their manuscripts and, by submitting to RCBC, grant the journal the right of first publication. Authors bear full responsibility for the published content, including accuracy of information, originality of the work, and compliance with ethical standards. 

RCBC encourages authors to self-archive their accepted manuscripts, including in institutional repositories, personal blogs, academic networks, and social media, provided the full citation of the published version is included.

The CC-BY 4.0 license does not automatically apply to third-party materials (such as figures, tables, or images) with specific copyright notices. The use of such content requires explicit permission from copyright holders or proof that it is under equally permissive licenses. It is the responsibility of the author(s) to ensure that any third-party content included in the manuscript is duly licensed or authorized for use and redistribution under the terms of publication.
 

Contact info

Brazilian College of Surgeons
Rua Visconde Silva, 52 - 3º andar Botafogo
Rio de Janeiro/RJ - Zip Code: 22271-092
Phone: +55 (21) 2138-0650

GUIDELINES AND POLICIES

Types of Accepted Documents

RCBC accepts the following types of manuscripts, with their respective abstract limits, text length, and maximum number of references:
 

• Original Articles: Complete reports of observational or experimental clinical research, regardless of whether it presents positive or negative results, and which use appropriate and reliable methods. Original articles should be 3,500 to 5,000 words long and contain 50 references.
• Review Articles: Manuscripts that employ systematic methods and explicit criteria to identify, select, and critically evaluate relevant research, and to collect and analyze data from the studies included in the review. This category includes systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis, integrative reviews, and scoping reviews. Narrative reviews will not be accepted except at the request of the Journal's editors. Reviews must contain 7,000 words and 75 references.
  • Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: must provide the protocol registration number from one of the following databases: PROSPERO,  Open Science Framework (OSF), INPLASY, JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute).  
  • Scoping and Integrative Reviews: must adhere to methodological rigor exemplified in the following article: Arksey, Hilary, and Lisa O’Malley. Scoping Studies: Towards a Methodological Framework. Int J Social Res Method. 2005; 8(1):19–32. doi:10.1080/1364557032000119616. 
• Study Protocols: Clinical trial protocols, randomized or not, and systematic reviews with high relevance to the scientific community and high methodological rigor will be considered for publication. Protocols must contain 5,000 words and 50 references. Systematic review protocols and clinical trial protocols are accepted in this section.
• Letters to the Editor: Scientific comments or comments on controversies regarding articles published in RCBC. Letters to the editor should be addressed to the lead author of the article in question, so that they can respond. Both letters will be published in the same issue of the journal, and no replies will be allowed. If the lead author of the article addressed in a letter to the editor does not respond, the letter will be published in its original form, provided the editor-in-chief deems it relevant. The Letter to the Editor should be a maximum of 1,000 words long and include up to 10 references. 
• Editorial: Invited manuscripts addressing current issues may be requested by the editor-in-chief from authors of recognized technical and scientific ability. They may also be submitted as opinions on controversial or scientifically relevant topics. The Editorial must not exceed 1,000 words and may include up to 10 references.
• Technical Note: Manuscripts describing innovative surgical procedures or medical devices in the early stages of development. RCBC adopts the IDEAL-D framework (Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment, Long-term Follow-up for Devices) for the evaluation of surgical innovations. Technical notes are appropriate for reports corresponding to the initial stages of the framework: Stage 0 (Preclinical Phase) – description of new concepts, prototypes, or techniques developed in a laboratory setting, including bench studies, simulation, or animal experimentation, prior to first use in humans; and Stage 1 (First-in-Human Use) – description of a new technique or device, typically involving a small number of selected patients, with emphasis on demonstrating feasibility and initial safety. Manuscripts must describe the technique in detail, include risk assessment, and provide a comprehensive discussion of potential benefits and limitations. Studies at more advanced stages of development (exploratory, evaluative, or long-term follow-up) should be submitted as original articles. The manuscript must contain up to 3,000 words and up to 30 references. 

Clinical Trial Registration

RCBC supports initiatives that promote transparency, reproducibility, and communication of clinical trials, ensuring the dissemination of reliable and open-access information. 
RCBC follows the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which establish the mandatory prior registration of clinical trials on recognized public platforms.

Therefore, only interventional clinical trial articles with a registration number obtained from a recognized platform before the first participant was enrolled will be accepted for publication.

Accepted Registrations

Clinical trials must be registered in one of the following databases validated by the WHO and the ICMJE:

• Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (REBEC) 
• WHO ICTRP (International Clinical Trials Registry Platform) 
• ClinicalTrials.gov (EUA)

The clinical trial registration number (TRN) and the registration date must be included in the last line of the manuscript abstract. Clinical trials not previously registered will not be considered for publication.

Transparent Reporting – CONSORT Statement

To ensure quality and transparency in the publication of clinical trials, RCBC recommends that manuscripts follow the CONSORT Statement (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) guidelines.

The CONSORT Statement offers a standardized template for reporting clinical trials, including a CONSORT flow diagram and a checklist to ensure that all essential information is present in the manuscript.

MANUSCRIPTS THAT DO NOT MEET THIS REQUIREMENT WILL BE RETURNED.

Author Contributions

RCBC adopts the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) authorship role taxonomy, available at: https://credit.niso.org/. This approach allows for an accurate and standardized description of individual authors' contributions to submitted manuscripts.

• The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that information about each author's contribution is accurate, complete, and agreed upon by all authors.
• All authors' roles must be indicated during the submission process, based on the CRediT taxonomy categories. 
• One single author can perform multiple roles.
• The adoption of CRediT does not change RCBC's criteria for defining authorship, but it does provide greater transparency regarding each participant's contributions.

People who contributed to the work but did not meet the authorship criteria should be mentioned in the Acknowledgments section.

Changes to the author list (additions, removals, or changes in order) after the initial submission require the formal consent of all authors, including those who are removed. The corresponding author should act as the primary point of contact between the author team and the editorial team, keeping all co-authors informed and involved in decisions regarding the manuscript.

The Single Author Declaration Form required at the time of submission also includes a statement of responsibility for the content presented.

Manuscript Preparation

RCBC strongly encourages authors to ensure that manuscripts meet the quality standards established by the Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research Network (EQUATOR). EQUATOR is a directory that provides guidelines aimed at improving the reliability of published health research literature by promoting transparent and accurate reporting.

RCBC requires that each manuscript includes the completed EQUATOR checklist file (identifying the manuscript page where each item can be found), according to the study design, as a Supplementary File.

File Format and Submission

Manuscripts should be prepared in a single-column format, using simple formatting (Times New Roman or Arial, size 10–12, double-spaced, with 2.5 cm margins on all sides). The following word processor file formats are acceptable: Microsoft Word (DOC, DOCX) or Rich Text Format (RTF).

RCBC adopts a double-anonymous peer review process, which means that the authors' identities are hidden from the reviewers and vice versa. Therefore, it is requested that the following documents be included separately.

Title Page

• Titles should be clear, concise, and descriptive, with a maximum of 200 characters, and optimized for search engines. The title should accurately reflect the article’s content and include keywords within the first 65 characters. Avoid using terms that indicate any regional reference. For manuscripts in Portuguese, provide the title in English.
• Clearly indicate the first and last names of each author and ensure that all names are spelled correctly. 
• Each author's affiliation should include the following information: university, department, city, zip code, country, institutional email address, and ORCID (all authors must have an ORCID - Open Researcher and Contributor ID).
• Indicate the corresponding author throughout all stages of review and publication, which assumes responsibility for answering any future questions about the study. Ensure that the corresponding author's email address is provided and that contact information is kept up to date.
• All contributors who do not meet the authorship criteria should be listed in the Acknowledgments section, as well as financial support from funding agencies.

Main Text: The main text should contain the following information, as per the table below.
 

• Abstract: Include the manuscript abstract, immediately after the title, without any identifying information about the authors. The Abstract should be structured in accordance with the category and format of the manuscript. The maximum word count must adhere to the specific recommendations established for each type of manuscript (Types of Accepted Documents). 
• Keywords: Include three to five keywords in English, aligned with the content of the article. It is recommended to consult the DeCS Finder and MeSH on Demand tools to select standardized and internationally recognized descriptors.
• Abbreviations and Terminology: Abbreviations should be kept to a minimum and limited to terms mentioned repeatedly, as long as they do not alter the understanding of the text, and should be defined upon first use. RCBC adopts the Official Universal Anatomical Terminology, approved by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA).
• Measurement Units: Values of physical quantities should be referenced according to the standards of the International System of Units.
• Funding: All sources of research funding (if any), as well as the project number and responsible institution, must be declared. The role of funding agencies in the study design and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, and in writing the manuscript, should be stated in the Acknowledgments section.
• Acknowledgments: Acknowledgments should be made to individuals who made significant contributions to the research.

Digital Assets

Tables

Tables should be organized clearly and objectively, avoiding redundancies within the text. If using table grids, use only one grid per table, not one grid for each row. If not using grids, align columns with tabs, avoiding spaces.

To minimize errors, it is recommended to use your word processor's spelling and grammar check functions.

Tables should be submitted in editable .doc or .docx files, allowing for adjustments during the editorial process.

Figures and Graphs

Figures and graphs should be submitted in separate files, in .JPG, .GIF, or .TIF formats, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi, ensuring adequate quality for publication.

In the main text of the manuscript, the exact position where each figure or graph should be inserted must be indicated.

If the figures have been previously published, authors must present written permission from the copyright holder and properly cite the original source.

Citations and References

References should be relevant and up-to-date, ensuring that the data presented are based on the best available evidence.

Whenever possible, the use of references with DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is recommended, as this guarantees a permanent link to the electronic article. References should follow Vancouver Style and be listed in numerical sequence as cited in the text.

If studies with similar content have been previously published in RCBC, authors are encouraged to consider them as references.

The following should not be included in the numbered reference list:

• Personal communications and unpublished data, which should be cited in parentheses in the text. If the citation is from a third party (and not the authors), a signed letter of permission must be attached.
• References to conference proceedings, abstracts, or theses are often not peer-reviewed and may not be accessible to readers.
• Citations from books and book chapters should be avoided unless essential to the context. References to peer-reviewed articles are always preferred.

Authors are responsible for the veracity, accuracy, and formatting of references and should carefully check each citation against the original source. 

Examples of references:

Articles with DOI: Zhang M, Holman CD, Price SD, Sanfilippo FM, Preen DB, Bulsara MK. Comorbidity and repeat admission to hospital for adverse drug reactions in older adults: retrospective cohort study. BMJ. 2009 Jan 7;338:a2752. doi: 10.1136/bmj.a275

Preprint: Bar DZ, Atkatsh K, Tavarez U, Erdos MR, Gruenbaum Y, Collins FS. Biotinylation by antibody recognition- A novel method for proximity labeling. BioRxiv 069187 [Preprint]. 2016 [cited 2017 Jan 12]. Available from: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/069187v1

Citation and Referencing Research Data and Other Content: RCBC encourages citing data files, program code, and other underlying or relevant content in your manuscript by citing them in the text and including the data reference in References. RCBC endorses the FORCE 11 Data Citation (https://www.force11.org/datacitationprinciples) which states that all publicly available datasets be fully referenced in the reference list with an accession number or unique identifier such as a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). For more information, see: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7273/#A57722

Submission Process

Manuscripts may only be submitted to RCBC through the online platform, which can be accessed on the Brazilian College of Surgeons’ journal website (https://revistadocbc.org.br/) or directly through the submission platform https://RCBC.submitcentral.com.br/.

If the manuscript is approved, authors must also submit:

• Proof of payment of the publication fee of R$2,500.00 (two thousand, six hundred and twenty-five reais) / US$500.00 (five hundred and twenty-five dollars). If the first or last author is a member of the CBC in good standing, the fee will be R$1,500.00 (one thousand, five hundred and seventy-five reais) / US$300.00 (three hundred and fifteen dollars). 
• This fee will be valid for articles approved as of June 2025.
• Translated article and certificate attesting to the quality and authenticity of the translation.

Supplementary Documents 

When submitting to the RCBC, authors must submit the following documents:

• Research Ethics Committee Approval;

• Single Author Declaration Form;

• Title Page;

• Manuscript.

• Equator Checklist - duly completed (identify the page of the manuscript where each item can be found), according to the study design as a Supplementary File, according to the study design (e.g., CONSORT for randomized clinical trials, STROBE for observational studies, STARD for diagnostic and prognostic studies, among others).

For approved manuscripts: Authors must provide a certificate attesting to the quality of the translation. The translation certificate for the approved article should be sent to: revista@cbc.org.br.
 

Funding Statement

“Revista do Colégio de Cirurgiões” is sponsored by the CBC through:

• Annual membership fees;
• Article publication fees, as described above.

Additional Information

After editorial acceptance, RCBC initiates the publication preparation process, as described below.

• English Translation: All approved articles will be translated into English by professionals appointed by the RCBC. Authors will be informed if adjustments to the original text are necessary to adapt it to the translation.
• Word Proof with Technical Reading: Once the translation is complete, the corresponding author will receive a proof of the manuscript in Word format (.doc or .docx), containing the adjustments and comments made by the technical reading and editorial standardization team. The deadline for returning corrections is four (4) calendar days. Should any pending issues or inconsistencies be identified, the editorial team will contact the author until the text version is finalized.
• Layout and Final Proof in PDF: After the text version is finalized, the article will be laid out according to RCBC's graphic standards.
• The corresponding author will then receive the final proof in PDF format, which represents the version ready for publication. This must be carefully reviewed, and requested corrections must be limited to typographical or formatting errors. Changes to the scientific content, wording, or author list will not be accepted at this stage. To view the PDF file, the use of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software is recommended: http://get.adobe.com/reader.
• Deadline for Return of Final Proof: The corresponding author must return the revised proof by email within 48 hours of receipt. After final approval, the article will be submitted for publication in the official version of the journal.

Contact info

Brazilian College of Surgeons
Rua Visconde Silva, 52 - 3º andar Botafogo
Rio de Janeiro/RJ - Zip Code: 22271-092
Phone: +55 (21) 2138-0650