Case reports: undeniable value.

The Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology (BJORL) has traditionally provided opportunity for the publication of case reports in each edition. Although these publications are still considered a small representation of the true impact of a scientific journal, as well as concerning scientific evidence, case reports must undeniably be seen as a valuable source of varied, unique and unusual medical information.1, 2 Moreover, much of this information can identify the need for new studies and awaken the researchers’ determination to search for complementary knowledge about the presented topic, which can become extremely important for our daily practice.

Case reports also provide young professionals with the opportunity to initiate scientific publication, and for this reason it is important to understand their limitations.3, 4 Due to their nature, case reports are based on limited, retrospective cases, and therefore should not be used to infer causality or be generalized to the population.

As well as the BJORL, many other medical journals recognize the value of case reports as sources of new ideas and information in clinical and surgical medicine. A good case report must be well written and presented, containing relevant and reliable information, and submitted to peer review.

The editors of BJORL encourage and welcome the submission of high-quality case reports, as they have an educational, informative potential, and can certainly contribute to the acquisition of new knowledge and the existing literature.

Conflicts of interest

The author declares no conflicts of interest.