The importance of case reports in general surgery

Abstract

Scientific research is a key tool for every health professional. Their main goal is the creation and distribution of new knowledge. It works as an opportunity to develop new skills such as time management, organization, communication, and teamwork. Case reports are at the bottom of the level of the evidence pyramid but they give such important information about specific pathologies like clinical manifestations, diagnostic tools, and new therapeutic alternatives. Case reports give health professionals an opportunity to publish something that cannot be enrolled in another type of article, like clinical research or a cohort study. Case reports are one of the most common type of study in the surgical field and this is because every patient has something different, and this type of article give us a variety of options to explore treatment, diagnosis, and outcomes. This paper describes the main components of a case report and its application to general surgery, its purpose is to provide a guide to new surgeons, residents or medical students interested in improving the quality of their papers.