Preparing an abstract that meets international congress standards

The four-part structure is mandatory

Almost every major congress — ISAPS, ASLMS, AAFPRS, IMCAS — requires abstracts structured as Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion, typically within 250 to 400 words.

The Results section must contain real figures. An abstract saying "favourable outcomes, patients satisfied" without numbers is almost certain to be rejected at first review.

Three recurring mistakes among Vietnamese authors

First: describing the technique instead of presenting outcomes. Reviewers want to know what the technique achieved, in how many cases, with what follow-up — not the operative steps.

Second: a small sample size left unstated. A series of 8 patients can still be accepted if presented honestly as a case series, but will be rejected if written up as a comparative study.

Third: submitting at the deadline. Most submission systems close precisely on the organiser's local time, without extension.

Currently open submission windows

As of late September 2026 the two nearest abstract deadlines are the AAFPRS Spring Meeting @ COSM 2027 (5 Oct 2026) and the ASLMS Annual Conference 2027 (8 Dec 2026). The system sends reminders 30, 14 and 3 days ahead if you follow the event.