Dr. Alexander Vaccaro Named Editor of Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques

Newswise — April 1, 2015 – Alexander R. Vaccaro, MD, PhD, has assumed the role of Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques, the definitive journal of research and clinical practice related to spinal disorders and their surgical treatment, published by Wolters Kluwer.

Dr. Vaccaro is the Richard H. Rothman Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Professor of Neurosurgery, Co-Director of the Delaware Valley Spinal Cord Injury Center, and Co-Chief of Spine Surgery at the Sidney Kimmel Medical Center at Thomas Jefferson University, and the President, Rothman Institute, Philadelphia. He becomes Editor-in-Chief effective with the April issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.

The change in editor signals a series of new editorial policies and features, emphasizing timely publication of the most important new research in spinal surgery. Dr. Vaccaro writes, "With these changes, authors and readers will be able to access high-quality, clinically relevant articles that will have an important impact on the management of patients with spinal disorders.”

In an introductory editorial, Dr. Vaccaro outlines his plans for maintaining and furthering the journal's clinical relevance to spinal surgery practice. As always, Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques will emphasize primary research, but will introduce strict new criteria for methodologic quality and clinical significance. The editors will also invite submission of high-impact papers identified at major spine meetings.

Additional plans call for six new sections, designed to promote an evidence-based approach to every patient with spinal disorders. Introduced in coming months, the new features will include: • Controversies in Spine Surgery, in which leading experts will present debates on timely issues in spinal surgery • Narrative Reviews, assembling evidence-based data to guide the treatment of common spinal conditions • Surgical Techniques, in which leading spinal surgeons will share their experience and surgical approach, highlighted by videos of routine and complex spinal procedures.

Other new sections will provide updated Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, brief topics in Research Methodology, and updates on The Business of Healthcare.

Effective in 2015, the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques has increased publication frequency from eight to ten issues per year. In addition to the print version, the complete journal contents will continue to be accessible via the journal website, www.jspinaldisorders.com, as well as the dedicated Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques iPad app.

"As Editor-in-Chief, I look forward to helping transform the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques into a journal in which readers from around the world can turn to for the most up-to-date, clinically relevant articles on spine care," Dr. Vaccaro writes. He also thanks outgoing editor Thomas Zdeblick, MD, for his contributions to making JSDT "one of the most internationally recognized and respected journals on spine care."

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About Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques features peer-reviewed original articles on diagnosis, management, and surgery for spinal problems. Topics include degenerative disorders, spinal trauma, diagnostic anesthetic blocks, metastatic tumor spinal replacements, management of pain syndromes, and the use of imaging techniques in evaluating lumbar spine disorder. The journal also presents thoroughly documented case reports.

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