Publishing Case Reports in Anesthesia Journals: Ward-Based Post-PCI Patient Management
Your case can be published in an anesthesia journal if it presents a unique clinical scenario, unexpected outcome, novel anesthetic management challenge, or educational value—the location of postoperative care (ward vs. monitored bed) does not determine publishability, but rather the clinical significance and learning points of the case. 1, 2
Key Considerations for Publication Eligibility
Clinical Novelty and Educational Value
The publishability depends on what makes your case unique or instructive, not simply the care setting. 3, 4 Consider whether your case demonstrates:
- Unusual anesthetic management in a patient with remote PCI history
- Unexpected perioperative complications or outcomes
- Novel approaches to risk stratification or monitoring decisions
- Educational lessons about perioperative cardiac risk assessment
The 10-year interval since PCI may itself be clinically relevant if it influenced your anesthetic decision-making or if the patient's current cardiac status differed significantly from their post-PCI baseline. 5
Ward vs. Monitored Bed Decision
The decision to manage a post-PCI patient on a regular ward rather than a monitored bed can be the central teaching point of your case report, particularly if you can justify this decision with specific clinical criteria. 5
The 2021 ACC guidelines on same-day discharge after PCI provide a framework showing that even complex cardiac patients can be managed outside intensive monitoring when specific safety criteria are met, including stable hemodynamics, absence of procedural complications, adequate social support, and controlled symptoms. 5
If your patient met specific low-risk criteria that justified ward-level care despite cardiac history, documenting this decision-making process adds significant educational value. 5
Manuscript Preparation Requirements
Essential Components for Anesthesia Journals
Follow the IMRaD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion) adapted for case reports, which typically becomes: Introduction/Background, Case Presentation, Discussion, and Conclusion. 4
Your manuscript must include: 1, 2
- Written informed consent from the patient or appropriate proxy
- Institutional review board approval or exemption documentation
- Disclosure of any conflicts of interest
- Statement that all authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript
Target Journal Selection
Select your target anesthesia journal before writing and meticulously follow their specific "Instructions to Authors" regarding case report format, word limits, and reference style. 4, 6
Different anesthesia journals have varying acceptance rates for case reports—some prefer only highly unusual cases while others accept educational cases with broader applicability. 3
Strengthening Your Case Report
Critical Elements to Include
Document the specific risk stratification tools or clinical criteria you used to determine that ward-level monitoring was appropriate (e.g., revised cardiac risk index, functional capacity assessment, absence of active cardiac symptoms). 5
Detail the perioperative monitoring plan, including vital sign frequency, pain management protocols, and specific parameters that would trigger escalation of care. 5
Explain why the 10-year post-PCI history influenced your anesthetic technique, monitoring choices, or postoperative care level—this temporal relationship and clinical reasoning is what makes the case publishable. 5
Discussion Section Focus
Compare your management approach to current guidelines on perioperative cardiac risk assessment and postoperative monitoring requirements. 5
Address why monitored bed placement was not necessary in your specific case, citing evidence-based criteria for low-risk postoperative cardiac patients. 5
Discuss the balance between resource utilization and patient safety, particularly relevant given increasing emphasis on appropriate care settings. 5
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Manuscript Rejection Factors
Avoid submitting cases that merely describe routine management without novel insights or educational value—journals reject cases that don't advance knowledge or teaching. 3, 4
Do not submit simultaneously to multiple journals; this violates ethical publishing standards and will result in rejection from all journals. 1, 2
Ensure your writing is clear, concise, and in polished scientific English—poor writing quality is a common reason for rejection even when clinical content is acceptable. 3, 6
Ethical Requirements
Never include patient identifiers (including dates that could identify the patient) without explicit written consent. 1
All authors listed must have made substantial intellectual contributions to the case management or manuscript preparation—authorship disputes can lead to manuscript retraction. 1, 2
Practical Next Steps
Draft a 150-word abstract highlighting what makes your case unique and what readers will learn—if you cannot articulate clear learning points, the case may not be publishable. 4
Review recent case reports in your target journal to understand their acceptance criteria and preferred case complexity level. 3
Consider framing your case around the decision-making algorithm for postoperative monitoring level selection in patients with remote cardiac interventions—this provides a generalizable framework beyond your single case. 5