Journal profile · CLINICAL NEUROLOGY-SURGERY
World Neurosurgery
ISSN 1878-8750 · eISSN 1878-8769 · Elsevier Inc. · UNITED STATES · Founded 2010
World Neurosurgery: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.96; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,943; median 67 days to acceptance (114 articles, last 24 months); 1,156 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
World Neurosurgery is published by Elsevier Inc. and is in Zone 4 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Intracranial Aneurysms: Treatment and Complications, Meningioma and schwannoma management and Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology, together about 25.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Neurology and Surgery. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
World Neurosurgery's mission is to provide a first-class international forum and a 2-way conduit for dialogue that is relevant to neurosurgeons and providers who care for neurosurgery patients. The categories of the exchanged information include clinical and basic science, as well as global information providing social, political, educational, economic, cultural, or societal insights and knowledge significant and relevant to worldwide neurosurgery patient care.World Neurosurgery acts as a primary intellectual catalyst for the stimulation of creativity, the creation of new knowledge, and the enhancement of quality neurosurgical care worldwide, while providing a forum for communication that enriches the lives of all neurosurgeons and their colleagues and, in so doing, enriches the lives of their patients.Areas of particular interest include: Education, Economics, Research, Politics, History, and CultureClinical and Laboratory Science, Technology, and Operative TechniquesClinical Images, VideoTo avoid any confusion, please note that the official submission site for World Neurosurgery (ISSN: 1878-8750) is https://www.editorialmanager.com/worldneurosurgery/, and the official journal website is https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/world-neurosurgery.The website https://neurosurgeryworld.org/ and the email addresses info@neurosurgeryworld.org and contact@neurosurgeryworld.org are not associated with World Neurosurgery (ISSN: 1878-8750).For journal-related inquiries, please contact wneu@elsevier.com.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): CLINICAL NEUROLOGY-SURGERY
Editor-in-chief R. John HurlbertPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 97, Italy 18, India 14, Japan 6, Türkiye 5 (155 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Intracranial Aneurysms: Treatment and ComplicationsMedicine9.3%
- Meningioma and schwannoma managementMedicine8.1%
- Spine and Intervertebral Disc PathologyMedicine7.7%
- Spinal Fractures and Fixation TechniquesMedicine6.8%
- Cervical and Thoracic MyelopathyMedicine6.5%
- Cerebrospinal fluid and hydrocephalusNeuroscience5.8%
- Vascular Malformations Diagnosis and TreatmentMedicine5.4%
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurovascular DisturbancesMedicine5.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Clinical Neurology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Surgery | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Clinical Neurology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Surgery | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Clinical Neurology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Surgery | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.96LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 3.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.68LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.93LetPub ·
- h-index
- 85LetPub ·
- h-index
- 126OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 9,477OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.26OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 34.81%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 790LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 25,492 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 551 | 541 | 84 |
| 2025 | 1,156 | 1,152 | 1,613 |
| 2024 | 2,010 | 607 | 6,692 |
| 2023 | 1,742 | 322 | 8,986 |
| 2022 | 1,808 | 286 | 13,644 |
| 2021 | 1,824 | 276 | 18,102 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
67 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 34 days – 91 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 7 days (114 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 73 days
- Sample
- 114 articles with submission and acceptance dates (2,192 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 3–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 55 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 16 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 8 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single-anonymous peer review, at least 2 reviewersPublisher website · model-extracted
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | EUR 3,200 / GBP 2,990 / JPY 2,560 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,590 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- AMA
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Article types accepted23
- book reviewOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- clinical imagesClinical Images (see specific submission instructions below)Length not stated
- doing more with lessDoing More with Less (see specific submission instructions below)Length not stated
- great hospitalsGreat Hospitals (see specific submission instructions below)Length not stated
- historical vignetteHistorical VignetteLength not stated
- letter to the editorOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- literature reviewOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- literature reviewsLiterature Reviews (see specific submission instructions below)Length not stated
- meta-analysisOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- narrative reviewOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- neurosurgery and the artsNeurosurgery and the Arts (see specific submission instructions below)Length not stated
- neurosurgery nursingNeurosurgery Nursing (see specific submission instructions below)Length not stated
- newsNews (invited)Length not stated
- original articleOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- perspectiveOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- perspective - global neurosurgeryPerspective - Global Neurosurgery (invited)Length not stated
- reviewOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- review articleOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- systematic reviewOriginal Article (available in full online only, but will be listed in the contents list of the printed journal and fully citable)Historical VignetteTechnical N…Length not stated
- technical noteTechnical NoteLength not stated
- the development of neurosurgeryThe Development of Neurosurgery (see specific submission instructions below)Length not stated
- video articlesVideo Articles (see specific submission instructions below)Length not stated
- women in neurosurgeryWomen in Neurosurgery (see specific submission instructions below)Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Founded
- 2010
- ISSN
- 1878-8750
- Electronic ISSN
- 1878-8769
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about World Neurosurgery
What CAS zone is World Neurosurgery in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, World Neurosurgery is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Clinical Neurology / Surgery. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of World Neurosurgery?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.96; CiteScore 3.8, h-index 126.
How long does peer review take at World Neurosurgery?
Based on the dates recorded on 114 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 67 days (interquartile range 34–91 days); authors report an average review time of 3–8 weeks. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of World Neurosurgery?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: AMA; Graphical abstract: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of World Neurosurgery based?
Of the 155 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (97), Italy (18) and India (14). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index World Neurosurgery?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, World Neurosurgery is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is World Neurosurgery open access, and what is the APC?
World Neurosurgery is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,943.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .