Author Responsibilities Before Submission

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that:

• The manuscript is original and has not been submitted simultaneously to another journal unless explicitly permitted.
• All authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.
• Authorship, author order, affiliations, and corresponding author details have been finalized.
• All data, figures, tables, and references are accurate and complete.
• Necessary ethical approvals and informed consent have been obtained where applicable.
• All conflicts of interest and funding sources have been disclosed.

Authors are encouraged to review the Journal's Publication Ethics policy before submission.

Withdrawal Before Peer Review

Authors may request withdrawal of a manuscript before editorial evaluation or before the manuscript has been assigned for external peer review.

Requests should be submitted by the corresponding author with the knowledge and consent of all co-authors.

Refund Policy

If Article Processing Charges (APCs) have already been paid:

• APCs will generally not be refunded after publication.
• Refund requests relating to accepted but unpublished articles will be considered in accordance with the Journal's APC Refund Policy, where applicable.

Withdrawal Procedure

Authors requesting withdrawal must submit a formal written request to the Editorial Office. The request should:

• Be submitted by the corresponding author.
• Include the manuscript title and manuscript identification number.
• Clearly state the reason for withdrawal.
• Confirm that all co-authors have been informed of and agree with the withdrawal request.

Where requested by the Editorial Office, authors may also be required to complete and sign an official Manuscript Withdrawal Form. A manuscript will not be considered withdrawn until the corresponding author receives written confirmation from the Editorial Office.

Editorial Discretion

The Editorial Office reserves the right to review every withdrawal request individually. Editorial decisions will consider:

• The stage of the editorial process.
• Publication ethics.
• Reviewer effort.
• Scientific integrity.
• Applicable legal obligations.

The Editor-in-Chief's decision regarding withdrawal matters shall be final.

Contact Information

For questions regarding this Manuscript Withdrawal Policy, please contact:

Editorial Office Annals of Surgery (ANNALSOPEN)
Website: www.aosopen.com
Email: info@aosopen.com