GUIDELINES FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
MAXIMUM CARE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO WRITING YOUR ABSTRACT. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES, DESIGNED TO STANDARDIZE THE ABSTRACT SUBMISSION PROCEDURE. ABSTRACTS THAT DO NOT MEET THESE CRITERIA WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
ABSTRACT PREPARATION
Format:
Original studies and case reports in all areas of Plastic Surgery will be considered suitable for presentation: history, research, basic science, all different types of reconstructions, congenital malformations, aesthetic surgery, burns, traumas, flaps, microsurgery, etc. To achieve a balanced final program, papers are divided into categories, and abstracts should be prepared accordingly:
- Research
The purpose of the investigation should be clearly stated and results must be supplied. Please note that only clinical research abstracts will be considered for EURAPS. Basic research abstracts must be submitted to the ERC Euraps Research Council. - Reconstructive (Pediatric) Craniofacial, Head and Neck
Data of the prospective/retrospective study along with complications must be produced - Reconstructive Breast (Implant or Autologous)
Data of the prospective/retrospective study along with complications must be produced - Aesthetic Face and Neck
Emphasis should be given to the description of the procedure, evaluation of the results and complications - Aesthetic Breast and Body
Emphasis should be given to the description of the procedure, evaluation of the results and complications - Pelvic, Perineal and Genital
Data of the prospective/retrospective study along with complications must be produced - Extremities: Upper Extremity
Data of the prospective/retrospective study along with complications must be produced - Extremities: Lower Extremity
Data of the prospective/retrospective study along with complications must be produced - General Microsurgery and Lymphatic Surgery
Data of the prospective/retrospective study along with complications must be produced - General Plastic Surgery
Data of the prospective/retrospective study along with complications must be produced - Burns
Data of the prospective/retrospective study along with complications must be produced - Facial nerve and plexus brachialis
Data of the prospective/retrospective study along with complications must be produced
Abstracts should be uniformly written giving a title (which must not contain companies and products’ names) and using the following headings for the body text:
- Introduction
- Materials (not for case reports) and Methods
- Results
- Conclusion
Names, addresses, institutions must not appear in the text, penalty the exclusion.
Example
Title: Toll-like receptor 4 and estrogen receptors expression in human breast implant
Introduction: Capsular contracture often complicates breast augmentation and reconstruction. Fibroblasts are responsible for the production of extracellular matrix (ECM) and proinflammatory signals. They can differentiate into myofibroblasts, which are involved in the pathogenesis of capsular contracture. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) has been demonstrated to play a role as a biosensor of tissue damage and sterile inflammation; it is overexpressed in keloids and hypertrophic scars. TLR4 stimulation in fibroblasts induces transcription of genes involved in ECM remodeling and tissue repair; furthermore, it enhances sensitivity to TGF-?1 and promotes transition to myofibroblasts. In TLR4-/- mice implanted with silicone shells, the inflammatory infiltrate, capsular thickness, VEGF and TGF-?1 were reduced. Seventeen-?-estradiol promotes myofibroblasts contraction and differentiation by mean of TGF-?; moreover, it increases the expression of TLR4 and the production of pro-inflammatory mediators by macrophages. Estrogen receptor-? (ER-?) stimulation induces conversion of fibroblast into myofibroblast, while estrogen receptor-? (ER-?) activation promotes ECM production and increases wound tensile strength. The aim of the study was to investigate the expression of TLR4 in breast implant capsules and its relationship with estrogen receptors, collagen types and angiogenesis.
Material and Methods: The study enrolled 30 women who underwent expander removal following breast reconstruction. Specimens were stained with Hematoxylin/Eosin, Masson trichrome, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence for TLR4, alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin (?-SMA), ER-? and ER-?, Collagen types I and III, CD31.
Results: TLR4 was expressed by fibroblasts and myofibroblasts of capsular tissue. Its expression positively correlated with ER-? expression (p=0.012). CD31 score and inflammatory infiltrate negatively correlated with the time from implantation (p=0.06 and p=0.022, respectively).
Conclusions: This study demonstrates the expression of TLR4 in fibroblasts of capsular tissue and its correlation with ER-? positivity. TLR4 and ER-? activations, as well as their interplay, may be involved in myofibroblasts differentiation and in the pro-fibrotic pathogenic process underlying capsular contracture.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Submitters
Abstract submission is open to all Plastic Surgeons, including young residents in training and fellow researchers.
Non-members of the association must indicate the name of a EURAPS Member to sponsor their abstract submission. The sponsoring member must previously read the abstract and agree to its submission. After submission, the member is automatically contacted by the EURAPS Office to confirm his/her sponsorship of the submitting author.
Language and Format
Abstracts must be submitted in English, correctly spelled and carefully checked. Text must be single-spaced, and not exceed 300 words. If accepted for presentation, the original text of the submitted abstract will be printed without any changes or corrections in the final abstract book.
Submission
Abstracts must be submitted online via the EURAPS website by 15th October 2023.
Upon submission, authors must select the relevant category (Research; Reconstructive (Pediatric) Craniofacial, Head and Neck; Reconstructive Breast (Implant or Autologous); Aesthetic Face and Neck; Aesthetic Breast and Body; Pelvic, Perineal and Genital; Extremities Upper Extremity; Extremities Lower Extremity; General Microsurgery and Lymphatic Surgery; General Plastic Surgery; Burns), and specify whether it is a case report. Submitters must indicate the time needed for their presentation: 4 or 8 minutes. It is up to the Scientific Program Committee to resize the length of the presentation, if necessary. Case reports will automatically be given a presentation time of 4 minutes.
ACCEPTANCE POLICY
Review
After submission, the Scientific Program Committee will perform an anonymous evaluation and review of the abstracts. Only the best in each category, selected according to methodical criteria, are accepted for presentation at the Annual Meeting. Information regarding acceptance/refusal of the abstracts will be issued by the end of December 2023.
Accepted Abstracts
The person whose name appears as “first author” will be presenting the submitted abstract. The presenter must be a board certified plastic surgeon. Onsite substitution of absent first authors by co-authors, or other participants to the meeting, will not be possible.
Without acceptable excuse, personally forwarded to the Secretary-General’s Office, last minute cancelations after publication of the scientific program or “no-show” authors will be automatically excluded from paper submission to future EURAPS Meetings.
Multiple Submissions
EURAPS website accepts up to two (n. 2) abstracts per first author, however in case both abstracts pass review and make it to the final program, the author will choose one of the two abstracts. The second abstract will be automatically presented by the next co-author available. Attempts of submission after 2 abstracts will be rejected.
ETHICS
EURAPS has a strict policy against plagiarism, and has implemented software that verifies authenticity and originality of papers. Multiple submissions of the same abstracts with different authors, different titles, in different categories, submission of abstracts with similar texts, are strictly forbidden and will be immediately identified and lead to complete exclusion of the abstract(s) from further evaluation and complete exclusion of the author(s) from future EURAPS Meetings. In accordance with EURAPS by-laws, authors are requested to be sensitive to, and show full respect for, ethnic, cultural, religious, and gender diversity.