International Journal of Burns and Trauma

The International Journal of Burns and Trauma is in the process of being launched. There is a list of forthcoming articles but no content yet. It will be open access but will cost $800 per article to publish. The editorial board are from North America and Australia.

I will add it to the journal page once there is some content.

Evidence-based plastic surgery

The July issue of PRS was the first to present a level of evidence question (diagnostic, therapeutic, or risk) for each article.

The editorial by Sullivan et al. outlines the new system. This is part of a wider initiative started last year to encourage evidence based plastic surgery.

As an example the levels of evidence for a therapeutic article are outlined below:

I    High-quality, multicenter or single-center, randomized controlled trial with adequate power; or systematic review of these studies.

II   Lesser-quality, randomized controlled trial; prospective cohort or comparative study; or systematic review of these studies.

III  Retrospective cohort or comparative study; case-control study; or systematic review of these studies.

IV Case series with pre/post test or only post test.

V Expert opinion developed via consensus process; case report or clinical example; or evidence based on physiology, bench research, or "first principles".

Double leg transplant

Allotransplantation continues a pace. The New Scientist reports the first double lower limb transplant has taken place at La Fe Hospital in Valencia. Spain is emerging as a leading force in allotransplantation. . . .

BAPRAS Summer Scientific Meeting fast approaching

The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) Summer Scientific Meeting is in Oxford this year. The programme looks good and of course the setting could not be better (unless it was in Cambridge).

This year there is going to be an expert session for trainees on the Thursday afternoon. It includes a session on plastic surgery research. Talking of which, the BAPRAS research section has been up dated.

Does anyone fancy providing some blog posts from the meeting?