Publication Speed and Patterns Across Plastic Surgery Journals in 2024: What Influences Timelines in Research?

Background: Publication timelines in plastic surgery vary across journals and study types, impacting the timely dissemination of research. This study aimed to evaluate the publication timelines and patterns of plastic surgery journals. Methods: A bibliometric analysis of all original articles published in the 7 plastic surgery journals with the highest impact factors in 2024 was conducted. Results: A total of 2033 plastic surgery articles were analyzed. The median total time to publication (TT) was 8.0 months, with significant variation across journals ( P < 0.001). Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PRS) had the longest TT (20.1 mo), whereas Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open had the shortest (5.2 mo). Regarding study category, hand and peripheral nerve surgery had the longest TT (12.9 mo), and cosmetic surgery had the shortest (7.6 mo) ( P < 0.001). North American articles had the longest TT (8.7 mo), whereas African articles had the shortest (6.5 mo) ( P < 0.001). Studies by nonplastic surgeons, from multiple institutions, or with medical student coauthors had longer TTs (all P < 0.05). Multivariable analysis identified journal, study category, and author continent as independent predictors of a shorter TT (≤8 mo). Articles in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open (odds ratio = 5.7) or Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery (odds ratio = 4.5) were more likely to be published quickly, whereas those on breast surgery or from Africa or Asia were less likely to be published quickly. Conclusions: Publication timelines in plastic surgery journals improved overall from 2018 to 2024, but unevenly across journals. Study category, author continent, and affiliation significantly influenced publication speed.