Plastic Surgery Classics: Characteristics of 50 Top-Cited Articles in Four Plastic Surgery Journals since 1946:

The 100 most influential manuscripts in robotic surgery: a bibliometric analysis

Since the first robotic assisted surgery in 1985, the number of procedures performed annually has steadily increased. Bibliometric analysis highlights the key studies that have influenced current practice in a field of interest. We use bibliometric analysis to evaluate the 100 most cited manuscripts on robotic surgery and discuss their content and influence on the evolution of the platform. The terms 'robotic surgery,' 'robot assisted surgery' and 'robot-assisted surgery' were used to search Thomson Reuters Web of Science database for full length, English language manuscripts. The top 100 cited manuscripts were analyzed by manuscript type, surgical specialty, first and last author, institution, year and journal of publication. 14,980 manuscripts were returned. Within the top 100 cited manuscripts, the majority featured urological surgery (n = 28), followed by combined results from multiple surgical subspecialties (n = 15) and colorectal surgery (n = 13). The majority of manuscripts featured case series/reports (n = 42), followed by comparative studies (n = 24). The most cited paper authored by Nelson et al. (432 citations) reviewed technological advances in the field. The year and country with the greatest number of publications were 2009 (n = 15) and the USA (n = 68). The Johns Hopkins University published the most top 100 manuscripts (n = 18). The 100 most cited manuscripts reflect the progression of robotic surgery from a basic instrument-holding platform to today's articulated instruments with 3D technology. From feasibility studies to multicenter trials, this analysis demonstrates how robotic assisted surgery has gained acceptance in urological, colorectal, general, cardiothoracic, orthopedic, maxillofacial and neuro surgery.

The top 100 cited articles on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A citation analysis

There is an exponential growth in the field of biomedical literature over the years. Although numerous articles are published every year, few of them present important conceptual advances in that particular field and are found to be influential in the evolution of the field. The number of citations a publication receives can be used as a proxy marker of its impact on the field. Hence we aimed to analyze the top cited articles (n = 100) on obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as of July 2018. Google scholar database was searched using a freely available software, Publish or Perish. Information related to number of citations, publication title, publication year, name of the journal, country of origin, author details, institution of origin, article type, and article design. The original research articles were further classified into descriptive/epidemiology, mechanism, management, scale/measurement, imaging and medical psychiatry. The citation classics suggest that clinical trials/management, epidemiology and neuroimaging were the most researched areas in the OCD research. These citation classics provide an important insight into the historical developments, like the role of serotonin and caudate in OCD. This approach of citation analysis provides an opportunity to retrieve the classic articles on OCD, and describes the trends in OCD research.

The 100 most influential manuscripts on hepatocellular carcinoma: a bibliometric analysis

Objective

Citation analysis represents one of the best available methods to identify the most influential articles. This study aimed to identify and characterize the top 100 highly cited articles (T100) that focus on hepatocellular carcinoma and to reveal the trends in accomplishments within this field.

Methods

A search of the Thomson Reuters Web of Science citation indexing database was conducted using terms related to hepatocellular carcinoma. The T100 were selected and analyzed further based on the number of citations, authorship, year of publication, journal, country of origin, institution, and article type.

Results

Hepatology published the highest number of papers (n = 15), and the United States produced the highest number of contributions (n = 31). Barcelona University was the institution with the highest number of articles in the T100 (n = 9). The T100 articles included 35 observational studies, 13 randomized control studies, 25 basic research articles, 18 reviews, seven clinical guidelines, and two meta-analyses.

Conclusions

This is the first bibliometric study to identify the most influential papers in hepatocellular carcinoma research. This report presents major advances and changes in research regarding hepatocellular carcinoma and can serve as a guide for writing a citable article.

The 100 most cited articles in the endovascular treatment of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms

OBJECTIVE

Since the introduction of endovascular technology to treat thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms, there has been a global research effort focused on assessing the effectiveness of treatment. A bibliometric analysis is used to identify the scientific impact of an article, impactful authors, institutions, and collaborative groups. Our objective was to identify and to analyze the 100 most cited articles in the field of endovascular treatment of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective bibliometric analysis in April 2018. Articles were searched on the Science Citation Index Expanded database using Web of Science to identify the most cited articles in endovascular therapy for thoracic and aortic aneurysms since 1945. Use of selected key terms ("AAA," "aortic aneurysm," "thoracic aneurysm," "abdominal aneurysm," "endovascular," "endoluminal," "stent," "graft," "repair," "EVAR," and "TEVAR") yielded a total of 23,354 articles. The top 100 articles were identified and analyzed to extract relevant information including year of publication, citation count, journal, authorship country of origin, and article type.

RESULTS

The earliest articles were published in 1991, with the majority being published in the 2000s (n = 59). The number of citations for the top 100 articles ranged from 151 to 1142, with a median citation count of 212. All articles were cited an average of 22.4 times per year. Almost half (n = 46) of the top 100 articles were published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery. Thirty-nine authors contributed four or more articles, with two being credited on 10 papers to make the list. The majority (n = 62) of the articles arose from the United States, while the United Kingdom contributed 11 articles. There were 7 guidelines and 12 randomized controlled trials, and the majority constituted level III or level IV evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a comprehensive and informative analysis of the most cited and impactful research undertaken in the field of endovascular treatment of abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms. By quantitatively assessing the 100 most cited articles in the field, we recognize the contributions of key authors, institutions, and collaborative groups and develop an understanding of the strengths of past research and the requirements for future global efforts.

Scoping Review of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program in Plastic Surgery Research

Background

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) is a robust, high-quality surgical outcomes database that measures risk-adjusted 30-day outcomes of surgical interventions. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe how the NSQIP is being used in plastic surgery research.

Methods

A comprehensive electronic literature search was completed in PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and CINAHL. Two reviewers independently reviewed articles to determine their relevance using predefined inclusion criteria. Articles were included if they utilized NSQIP data to conduct research in a domain of plastic surgery or analyzed surgical procedures completed by plastic surgeons. Extracted information included the domain of plastic surgery, country of origin, journal, and year of publication.

Results

A total of 106 articles met the inclusion criteria. The most common domain of plastic surgery was breast reconstruction representing 35% of the articles. Of the 106 articles, 95% were published within the last 5 years. The Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal published most of the (59%) NSQIP-related articles. All of the studies were retrospective. Of note, there were no articles on burns and only one study on trauma as the domain of plastic surgery.

Conclusion

This scoping review describes how NSQIP data are being used to analyze plastic surgery interventions and outcomes in order to guide quality improvement in 106 articles. It demonstrates the utility of NSQIP in the literature, however also identifies some limitations of the program as it applies to plastic surgery.

A Scientometric Analysis of the 50 Most Cited Articles for Reconstruction of the Lower Extremity

Background

Lower extremity reconstruction has always been a challenge. Some of the published articles had a major impact on the field but are often not considered as classics because they have fewer citations. We therefore conducted a scientometric analysis of the most cited articles with a focus solely on the lower limb.

Methods

A search was conducted on Medline, the Web of Science database, Google Scholar, and Scopus identifying articles relevant to reconstructive surgery of the lower limb. All journals were included with no time frames. Articles relating solely to orthopedics or vascular reconstruction were excluded. The number of citations obtained were then plotted and compared between the different search engines. The mean citation number was calculated by taking into consideration the total number of years since the article's first year of publication. Articles were then ranked and classified according to their authors, their years of publications, and their countries. They were furthermore categorized and analyzed.

Results

Highly cited articles were easily retrieved with Google Scholar, mostly published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (n = 37) and were mainly authored by American Medical Centers (n = 22). Fifty-four percent (54%) of these classic articles discussed the design of new flaps or were anatomical studies.

Conclusions

We were not able to find a correlation between the year of citation and the number of citations. The citation pattern of a paper cannot be predicted, but a majority of highly cited article allowed the design of new reconstructive techniques.

The 100 most influential manuscripts in andrology: a bibliometric analysis

Background

As the specialty of Andrology expands it is important to establish the most important studies that have shaped, and continue to shape, current research and clinical practice. Bibliometric analysis involving a citation rank list is an established means by which to identify the published material within a given field that has greatest intellectual influence. This bibliometric analysis sought to identify the 100 most influential manuscripts in Andrology, as well as the key research themes that have shaped contemporary understanding and management of andrological conditions.

Methods

The Thompson Reuters Web of Science citation indexing database was interrogated using a number of search terms chosen to reflect the full spectrum of andrological practice. Results were ranked according to citation number and further analysed according to subject, first and senior author, journal, year of publication, institution and country of origin.

Results

The Web of Science search returned a total of 24,128 manuscripts. Citation number of the top 100 articles ranged from 2819 to 218 (median 320). The most cited manuscript (by Feldman et al., The Journal of Urology 1994; 2819 citations) reported the prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED) in the Massachusetts Male Ageing Study. The Journal of Urology published the highest number of manuscripts (n = 11), followed by the New England Journal of Medicine (n = 10). The most common theme represented within the top 100 manuscripts was erectile dysfunction (n = 46), followed jointly by hypogonadism and male factor infertility (n = 24 respectively).

Conclusion

Erectile dysfunction should be considered the most widely researched, published and cited field within andrological practice. This study provides a list of the most influential manuscripts in andrology and serves as a reference of what comprises a ‘highly citable’ paper for both researchers and clinicians.

Historical Roots of Modern Plastic Surgery: A Cited Reference Analysis

BACKGROUND

Highly cited publications are referred to as citation classics and can signify important contributions to a discipline. Although citation classics in plastic surgery have been identified, none were published before 1960. Citation classics in earlier periods may contain the historical roots or intellectual origins of the field. We set out to identify such scholarly works and analyze their characteristics.

METHODS

A novel technique of citation analysis, referred to as reference publication year spectroscopy, was used to analyze the literature. The spectrogram revealed distinct peaks before 1960, which corresponded to 20 citation classics. These 20 references were then analyzed with respect to historical context, topic of interest, anatomical region, originality, and if authors were named for their findings (eponyms).

RESULTS

Twenty distinct citation classics (published from 1851 to 1959) were identified, accounting for 430 literature citations. Salmon's "Arteres de la Peau" was the most cited reference, followed by Gillies' "Principles of Plastic Surgery" and Neuber's "Fat Grafting." The theme of angiosomes was highly represented. Most citation classics dealt with reconstruction of acquired defects (37%) and primarily focused on the head and neck regions (45%). Thirty-five percent of clinical studies were noted for their originality, and 5 studies earned their authors' eponymous distinctions.

CONCLUSION

The roots of modern plastic surgery began in the late 19th century with early efforts to describe cutaneous vasculature. Historical studies that either establish principles or lead to an advancement in our reconstructive methods have the best chance of achieving classical status.

Fifty Most-cited Articles on Lateral Epicondylitis of the Elbow

Introduction:

Citation number can be used as a marker of a scientific article's influence. This study sought to determine and characterize the most-cited investigations on lateral epicondylitis and identify the most influential studies pertaining to this pathology.

Methods:

The Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science database was queried for articles investigating lateral epicondylitis, and the 50 most-cited articles were selected. For each article, number of citations, citation density, journal, publication year, country of origin, language, article type, article subtype, and level of evidence were recorded.

Results:

Citation numbers ranged from 72 to 332 (mean, 127.4), and densities ranged from 1.6 to 34.0 (mean, 9.4). Articles were published across 26 different journals. Most articles (41) were clinical, with randomized controlled trials (29.3%) being the most commonly cited articles.

Discussion:

Compared with previous investigations looking at citation density within orthopaedics, the most commonly cited clinical articles on lateral epicondylitis had a high percentage of level I or II evidence (39.0%). This compilation of the literature can aid in establishing reading curriculums for trainees in both orthopaedic residencies and fellowships. This is a Level V study.

Institutional Collaboration in Plastic Surgery Research: A Solution to Resource Limitations

Background:

The current climate of health care reform and research funding restrictions presents new challenges for academic plastic surgery. Collaboration with private enterprise has been associated with greater research productivity in the general biomedical literature. This study seeks to analyze publication trends in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PRS) to evaluate any changes in institutional collaboration over time.

Methods:

Bibliographic data were retrospectively analyzed for all original research and discussion articles published in PRS from 2012 to 2016. The institutional affiliation for each publication was characterized from its author list as solely academic, private, government, or combinations of these (defined here as “institutional collaborations”). Annual National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding data were also collected over the same period, and associations were analyzed by linear regression.

Results:

In total, 2,595 publications were retrieved from PRS between 2012 and 2016, of which 2,027 (78.1%) originated solely from academic institutions and 411 (15.8%) from institutional collaborations. Although the proportion of academic-only publications decreased from 82% to 74%, the proportion of institutional collaborations increased from 10% to 20% (P = 0.038). Concurrently, NIH funding declined from $33.4 billion to a low of $30.7 billion, which was associated with the decreasing proportion of academic-only publications (P = 0.025) and increasing proportion of institutional collaborations (P = 0.0053).

Conclusions:

Traditional sources of academic research funding have been restricted during the politically and financially tumultuous recent years. With no signs of improving access to financial resources from the NIH, academic plastic surgeons may consider diversifying their institutional partnerships to continue pioneering advances in the field.

Correlation Between Quality of Evidence and Number of Citations in Top 50 Cited Articles in Rotator Cuff Repair Surgery

BACKGROUND

The number of article citations has been used as a measure for the impact of an article in the medical literature, with little emphasis on quality.

PURPOSE

To (1) identify the top 50 most cited articles related to rotator cuff repair surgery, (2) determine whether there was a correlation between the top cited articles and level of evidence, and (3) determine whether there was a correlation between the top cited articles and study quality.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The Web of Science and Scopus online databases were searched to identify the top 50 cited articles in rotator cuff repair surgery. Methodological quality was analyzed for each article using the Modified Coleman Methodology Score (MCMS), Jadad scale, and Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS). Correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the degree of correlation between the top cited articles and level of evidence and study quality using each quality score.

RESULTS

The mean number of citations for each article in each of the 2 databases was 319 ± 187 (range, 177.5-1033.5). Twenty-nine articles (58%) were from the United States. The most common level of evidence was level 4 (54%), with 3 (6%) articles being level 1. There was no significant correlation between the mean number of citations and level of evidence (rs = -0.28), the MCMS (rs = -0.29), and the MINORS score (rs = -0.25). There was a weak negative correlation between the mean number of citations and the Jadad score (rs = -0.36).

CONCLUSION

The top 50 cited articles in rotator cuff repair surgery comprise a variety of years, journals, countries of origin, and study types. Despite being the 50 most cited articles, the most common type of article was the level 4 case series with a poor mean quality assessment score. There was no significant correlation between the mean number of citations and level of evidence or methodological quality using a variety of scores.

Correlation Between Quality of Evidence and Number of Citations in Top 50 Cited Articles on Elbow Medial Ulnar Collateral Ligament Surgery

Background:

Several studies have analyzed the most cited articles in shoulder, elbow, pediatrics, and foot and ankle surgery. However, no study has analyzed the quality of the most cited articles in elbow medial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery.

Purpose:

To (1) identify the top 50 most cited articles related to UCL surgery, (2) determine whether there was a correlation between the top cited articles and level of evidence, and (3) determine whether there was a correlation between study methodological quality and the top cited articles.

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Methods:

Web of Science and Scopus online databases were searched to identify the top 50 cited articles in UCL surgery. Level of evidence, number of times cited, year of publication, name of journal, country of origin, and study type were recorded for each study. Study methodological quality was analyzed for each article with the Modified Coleman Methodology Score (MCMS) and the Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS). Correlation coefficients were calculated.

Results:

The 50 most cited articles were published between 1981 and 2015. The number of citations per article ranged from 20 to 301 (mean ± SD, 71 ± 62 citations). Most articles (92%) were from the United States and were level 3 (16%), level 4 (58%), or unclassified (16%) evidence. There were no articles of level 1 evidence quality. The mean MCMS and MINORS scores were 28.1 ± 13.4 (range, 3-52) and 9.2 ± 3.6 (range, 2-19), respectively. There was no significant correlation between the mean number of citations and level of evidence or quality (r_s = –0.01, P = .917), MCMS (r_s = 0.09, P = .571), or MINORS (r_s = –0.26, P = .089).

Conclusion:

The top 50 cited articles in UCL surgery constitute a low level of evidence and low methodological quality, including no level 1 articles. There was no significant correlation between the mean number of citations and level of evidence or study methodological quality. However, weak correlations were observed for later publication date and improved level of evidence and methodological quality.

The 100 most cited articles in the endovascular management of intracranial aneurysms

INTRODUCTION

Endovascular interventions for intracranial aneurysms have evolved substantially over the past several decades. A citation rank list is used to measure the scientific and/or clinical impact of an article. Our objective was to identify and analyze the characteristics of the 100 most cited articles in the field of endovascular therapy for intracranial aneurysms.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective bibliometric analysis between July and August 2017. Articles were searched on the Science Citation Index Expanded database using Web of Science in order to identify the most cited articles in the endovascular therapy of intracranial aneurysms since 1945. Using selected key terms ('intracranial aneurysm', 'aneurysm', 'aneurysmal subarachnoid', 'endovascular', 'coiling', 'stent-assisted', 'balloon-assisted', 'flow-diversion') yielded a total of 16 314 articles. The top 100 articles were identified and analyzed to extract relevant information, including citation count, authorship, article type, subject matter, institution, country of origin, and year of publication.

RESULTS

Citations for the top 100 articles ranged from 133 to 1832. All articles were cited an average of 27 times per year. There were 45 prospective studies, including 7 level-II randomized controlled trials. Most articles were published in the 2000s (n=53), and the majority constituted level III or level IV evidence. Half of the top 100 articles arose from the USA.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a comprehensive overview of the most cited articles in the endovascular management of intracranial aneurysms. It recognizes the contributions made by key authors and institutions, providing an important framework to an enhanced understanding of the evidence behind the endovascular treatment of aneurysms.

The top 10 arthroplasty articles published in last 10 years by Indian authors

Joint replacement surgery is becoming increasingly popular globally and recently,​in India. The phenomenon of medical tourism has also contributed to increasing number of arthroplasty surgeries being done every year in our country. The surgeons who work in this highly specialized field of orthopedic surgery, have been publishing their research work in reputed journals. In this paper, we have discussed the most cited Indian papers in the field of arthroplasty. It was observed that publications in high impact and reputed journals attract more citations and therefore it is recommended that the 'good' scientific research work should preferably be submitted to these journals to create greater impact and awareness about ones' research.

The 50 Most Cited Articles in Facial Plastic Surgery

Bibliometric analysis is a common method to determine the most influential articles in medical specialties, as it is an objective measure of peer recognition of scientific work. This study is the first bibliometric analysis of the literature in facial plastic surgery, to determine the most cited papers in the field. Bibliometric analysis was performed using the Science Citation Index from the Institute for Scientific Information, accessed through the Web of Science™. Filter terms relevant to the field of facial plastic surgery were used to identify the 50 most cited journal articles between 1900 and 2016. The median number of citations was 150 (range 116-1091). The articles spanned a wide range of topics in the field, with the most common topics being free flap reconstruction (n = 10), nasal surgery (n = 9), and rhytidectomy (n = 6). The majority of these articles (n = 29) presented findings supported by level IV or V evidence. This analysis provides an overview of the most cited articles in facial plastic surgery, many of which introduced some of the most fundamental principles and techniques in the field. These landmark articles represent important educational points that should be reviewed by all clinicians and trainees in this field. Level of Evidence III This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

A global bibliometric analysis of otolaryngology: Head and neck surgery literature

OBJECTIVE

Bibliometrics uses analysis of content and citations of journal articles to quantify trends in published data. We aim to use bibliometric analysis to identify the global contribution by country to the ENT surgical literature over a 5-year period.

DATA SOURCE

The top 20 countries for number of articles published in surgery and the 11 English-language otolaryngology surgical journals with the highest impact factors (IF) were included. Numbers of scientific articles per year (2009-2013) per country for each journal were identified through PubMed. As a marker of quality, a mean IF for each country was calculated, using number of articles and journal IF. These data were compared against population, GDP and dollars spent on research.

RESULTS

In total, 10 574 articles were included. The USA was the largest contributor, with 4462 articles published over 5 years. The second largest was the UK (1215 articles). Spain's mean IF was 2.136, followed by Taiwan (2.110). The Netherlands (19.7) and the UK (18.9) had the highest number of publications per million population. When considering overall research spending per country, Greece had the most cost-effective publication output. The least cost-effective country was Japan. India, Greece and Japan had the greatest increase in publication quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Bibliometric analysis can be used to identify not only major centres of English-language ENT surgical research, such as the USA and UK but centres that are producing high-quality data, such as Spain, and cost-effective research, such as the UK. It can also highlight areas of increasing success in ENT research.

Esophageal cancer's 100 most influential manuscripts: a bibliometric analysis

Bibliometric analysis highlights key topics and publications that have shaped the understanding and management of esophageal cancer (EC). Here, the 100 most cited manuscripts in the field of EC are analyzed. The Thomson Reuters Web of Science database with the search terms 'esophageal cancer' or 'esophageal carcinoma' or 'oesophageal cancer' or 'oesophageal carcinoma' or 'gastroscopy' was used to identify all English language full manuscripts for the study. The 100 most cited papers were further analyzed by topic, journal, author, year, and institution. A total of 121,556 eligible papers were returned and the median (range) citation number was 406.5 (1833 to 293). The most cited paper focused on the role of perioperative chemotherpy in EC (1833 citations). Gastroenterology published the highest number of papers (n = 15, 6362 citations) and The New England Journal of Medicine received the most citations (n = 12, 12125 citations). The country and year with the greatest number of publications were the USA (n = 50), and 1998, 1999, and 2000 (n = 7). The most ubiquitous topic was the pathology of EC (n = 66) followed by management of EC (n = 54), and studies related to EC prognosis (n = 44). The most cited manuscripts highlighted the pathology, management, and prognosis of EC and this bibliometirc review provides the most influential references serving as a guide to popular research themes.

Top-100 cited articles on headache disorders: A bibliometric analysis

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize the most-cited articles on headache disorders published in journals that have made key contributions in the field.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a search of journals and selected the top-100 cited articles by utilizing the Institute for Scientific Information database available under the banner of the Web of Science, which provides the most relevant bibliometric information on scientific articles published since 1950.

RESULTS

The top-100 cited articles were published in 20 journals. The most frequently cited journal was Neurology (19 articles), and followed by Cephalagia (15 articles) and Headache (15 articles). Migraine was the most common topic subject (81 articles), and original articles predominated (91 articles). The topics of the classic articles had varied from decade to decade. The most common topic subject was epidemiology (37 articles), followed by pathophysiology (20 articles), treatment (18 articles), review (10 articles), neuroimaging (11 articles), genetics (3 articles), and diagnostic tools (2 articles).

CONCLUSION

The present study has produced a detailed list of the most-cited articles on headache disorders, which is the first such study in this field. This list makes it possible to recognize the classic articles on headache disorders as well as research trends and academic achievements in this field.

The Drivers of Academic Success in Cleft and Craniofacial Centers: A 10-Year Analysis of over 2000 Publications

BACKGROUND

Cleft and craniofacial centers require significant investment by medical institutions, yet variables contributing to their academic productivity remain unknown. This study characterizes the elements associated with high academic productivity in these centers.

METHODS

The authors analyzed cleft and craniofacial centers accredited by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. Variables such as university affiliation; resident training; number of plastic surgery, oral-maxillofacial, and dental faculty; and investment in a craniofacial surgery, craniofacial orthodontics fellowship program, or both, were obtained. Craniofacial and cleft-related research published between July of 2005 and June of 2015 was identified. A stepwise multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to measure outcomes of total publications, summative impact factor, basic science publications, total journals, and National Institutes of Health funding.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty centers were identified, comprising 920 active faculty, 34 craniofacial surgery fellowships, and eight craniofacial orthodontic fellowships; 2356 articles were published in 191 journals. Variables most positively associated with a high number of publications were craniofacial surgery and craniofacial orthodontics fellowships (β = 0.608), craniofacial surgery fellowships (β = 0.231), number of plastic surgery faculty (β = 0.213), and university affiliation (β = 0.165). Variables most positively associated with high a number of journals were craniofacial surgery and craniofacial orthodontics fellowships (β = 0.550), university affiliation (β = 0.251), number of plastic surgery faculty (β = 0.230), and craniofacial surgery fellowship (β = 0.218). Variables most positively associated with a high summative impact factor were craniofacial surgery and craniofacial orthodontics fellowships (β = 0.648), craniofacial surgery fellowship (β = 0.208), number of plastic surgery faculty (β = 0.207), and university affiliation (β = 0.116). Variables most positively associated with basic science publications were craniofacial surgery and craniofacial orthodontics fellowships (β = 0.676) and craniofacial surgery fellowship (β = 0.208). The only variable associated with National Institutes of Health funding was craniofacial surgery and craniofacial orthodontics fellowship (β = 0.332).

CONCLUSION

Participation in both craniofacial surgery and orthodontics fellowships demonstrates the strongest association with academic success; craniofacial surgery fellowship, university affiliation, and number of surgeons are also predictive.

The Top 10 Most Cited Indian Articles in Arthroscopy in Last 10 Years

The interest in the field of arthroscopy is increasing globally and exponentially in the recent past, including in India. Clinicians interested in this area of super specialization have started publishing their research work in reputed journals in this field. The publication from Indian authors is contributed equally by both the teaching government institutions and nonteaching private hospital specialists. The contributions by the Indian teaching institutes have predominantly Indian authors only, whereas those from the private sectors usually have an association with the foreign authors in their research and publications. The publications with higher hierarchy and level of evidence (1 and 2) are associated with greater citations. In addition, the publications in high-impact, reputed journals attract more citations and therefore it is recommended that the "good" scientific research work should preferably be submitted to these journals to create greater impact and awareness about ones' research and publication.

The 100 most cited manuscripts in emergency abdominal surgery: A bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

The number of citations a scientific article receives provides a good indication of its impact within any given field. This bibliometric analysis aimed to identify the 100 most cited articles in Emergency Abdominal Surgery (EAS), to highlight key areas of interest and identify those that have most significantly shaped contemporary clinical practice in this newly evolving surgical specialty. This is of increasing relevance as concerns grow regarding the variable and suboptimal outcomes in Emergency General Surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Thomson Reuters Web of Science database was used to search using the terms [Emergency AND Abdom* AND Surg*] to identify all English language, full manuscripts. Results were ranked according to citation number. The top 100 articles were further analysed by subject, author, journal, year of publication, institution, and country of origin.

RESULTS

The median (range) citation number of the top 100 out of 7433 eligible papers was 131 (1569-97). The most cited paper (by Goldman et al., Massachusetts General Hospital, New England Journal of Medicine; 1569 citations) focused on cardiac risk stratification in non-cardiac surgery. The Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care published the most papers and received most citations (n = 19; 2954 citations. The majority of papers were published by centres in the USA (n = 52; 9422 citations), followed by the UK (n = 13; 1816 citations). The most common topics of publication concerned abdominal aneurysm management (n = 26) and emergency gastrointestinal surgery (n = 26).

CONCLUSION

Vascular surgery, risk assessment and gastrointestinal surgery were the areas of focus for 59% of the contemporary most cited emergency abdominal surgery manuscripts. By providing the most influential references this work serves as a guide to what makes a citable emergency surgery paper.

Top 100 Cited Foot and Ankle-Related Articles

BACKGROUND

Article citations are a well-accepted method of evaluating the influence or impact of a particular article. Other medical specialties have published the top cited articles in their specialty. To date, an analysis of the foot and ankle podiatric medicine-related article citation method has not been published.

METHODS

Three citation indices were used on October 10, 2014, February 20, 2015, and May 1, 2015, to determine the top 100 cited foot and ankle-related articles.

RESULTS

Most of the top 100 cited foot and ankle podiatric medicine-related articles were published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery by medical doctors in the United States in the past two decades, with most of the article topics being the diabetic foot or trauma. The predominant level of evidence for the articles is evenly distributed among levels III, IV, and V.

CONCLUSIONS

Podiatric medical research and publication has made great strides during the past two decades, particularly in the diabetic foot, but continued research and peer-reviewed journal publication in additional areas regarding the foot and ankle must become a priority in the podiatric medical community.

The 100 classic papers in ulcerative colitis: a bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

The identification of the top 100 papers in ulcerative colitis (UC) using citation analysis provides a unique insight into the advancement of disease understanding and subsequent treatment innovations that have progressed over time.

METHODS

The Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge was used to identify the 100 most cited UC manuscripts. Title, first and senior authors, institution and department of first author, journal, country of origin, year and topic of each manuscript were analyzed.

RESULTS

The top 100 manuscripts were published between 1955-2012. Thirty eight percent of the manuscripts originated from the US followed by the UK (26%). Genetics was the topic with the most publications (n = 27), followed by treatment (n = 22) and immunological pathways (n = 17). Truelove had the highest amount of authorships. The institutions with the highest number of publications were St. Mark's, London and the Radcliffe Infirmary.

CONCLUSION

This list of highly cited papers identifies the topics and authors that have made the most impact in the study of UC over the last century. This paper provides a reference of what could be considered as the most influential UC papers and serves as a reference of what comprises a 'highly citable' manuscript for both researchers and clinicians.

The Top 100 Cited Papers in Health Care Disparities: a Bibliometric Analysis

Health care disparities research is an exponentially growing and multi-faceted field. Our objective was to identify and analyze the top 100 cited articles in health care disparities. The authors searched the Thomas Reuters Web of Science for citations of all research papers (articles) relevant to health care disparities. After analyzing search results, the number of citations, authorship, year, journal, country of publication, institution of publication, and relevant topic were recorded for each article. The most cited article was Martin's 2002 work identifying the demography of incidence and occurrence of sepsis with specific analysis of race, sex, and disposition of US patients. The second most cited article was Kamangar's 2006 paper outlining geographic patterns in cancer incidence, mortality, and prevalence. The third most cited article was Williams' 1996 study determining the differences in US health patterns in populations of different races and socioeconomic statuses through a review of similar studies. The majority of articles originated in the USA (91). The journal with the most published articles was JAMA-The Journal of the American Medical Association (14). The second most cited journal was The New England Journal of Medicine (7). Most articles were published in the 2000s (84). In descending order, the 3 most common topics were (1) disparities in cancer incidence, screening, treatment, and mortality, (2) disparities in mental health treatment, and (3) physician concordance, cultural competency, and relationships with minority patients. Overall, the highly cited articles contain current advancements in the body of knowledge used to resolve health care disparities in race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, age, wealth, education level, mental health, and geography throughout the world.

The 100 most influential publications in paracetamol poisoning treatment: a bibliometric analysis of human studies

BACKGROUND

Analysis of the most influential publications within paracetamol poisoning treatment can be helpful in recognizing main and novel treatment issues within the field of toxicology. The current study was performed to recognize and describe the most highly cited articles related to paracetamol poisoning treatment.

METHODS

The 100 most highly cited articles in paracetamol poisoning treatment were identified from the Scopus database in November 2015. All eligible articles were read for basic information, including total number of citations, average citations per year, authors' names, journal name, impact factors, document types and countries of authors of publications.

RESULTS

The median number of citations was 75 (interquartile range 56-137). These publications were published between 1974 and 2013. The average number of years since publication was 17.6 years, and 45 of the publications were from the 2000s. A significant, modest positive correlation was found between years since publication and the number of citations among the top 100 cited articles (r = 0.316; p = 0.001). A total of 55 journals published these 100 most cited articles. Nine documents were published in Clinical Toxicology, whereas eight documents were published in Annals of Emergency Medicine. Citations per year since publication for the top 100 most-cited articles ranged from 1.5 to 42.6 and had a mean of 8.5 citations per year and a median of 5.9 with an interquartile range of 3.75-10.35. In relation to the origin of the research publications, they were from 8 countries. The USA had the largest number of articles, 47, followed by the UK and Australia with 38 and nine articles respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first bibliometric assessment of the top 100 cited articles in toxicology literature. Interest in paracetamol poisoning as a serious clinical problem continues to grow. Research published in high-impact journals and from high income countries is most likely to be cited in published paracetamol research.

A Bibliometric Analysis of the 100 Most-cited Articles in Rhinoplasty

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Introduction:

Citation analysis aims to quantify the importance and influence of a published article within its field. We performed a bibliometric analysis to determine the most highly cited articles within rhinoplasty and their impact on current practice.

Methods:

The 100 most-cited articles relating to rhinoplasty, between and inclusive of January 1864 to September 2015, were extracted from Web of Science in October 2015. Title, source journal, publication year, total citations, average citations/year, type of article, level of evidence, country of origin, main focus, use of outcome measures, incorporation into “Selected Readings in Plastic Surgery,” and funding status were recorded.

Results:

The total number of citations per article ranged from 61 to 276 (1.5–12.1 average citations per year). Surgical technique was the focus of 53% of articles, particularly those for reconstruction (75%). The United States produced 72% of articles compared with 8% from the United Kingdom. The top 100 articles were published within 20 journals; “Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons” contributed the most articles (n = 57). None of the articles achieved level 1 or 2 of evidence (Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine levels of evidence, 2011), with most achieving level 4 evidence (n = 64). Case-series were the most popular methodology (n = 37). Few articles used validated outcome measures (n = 21). Twenty-nine percent were referenced in “selected readings.” Eighty-nine percent were unfunded studies.

Conclusions:

These top 100 articles are used in current teaching material and underpin surgical decision making. Developing and using validated objective assessment tools will benefit surgeons, patients, and the greater scientific community in objectively evaluating techniques with the most favorable results.

The 100 most influential manuscripts in colorectal cancer: A bibliometric analysis

PURPOSE

Bibliometric analysis highlights the key topics and studies which have led to the current understanding and treatment of a disease of interest. In this original article we analyze the 100 most cited manuscripts in the field of colorectal cancer (CRC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Thomson Reuters Web of Science database with the search terms 'colorectal cancer,' 'colorectal cancer surgery,' 'colon cancer,' 'rectal cancer,' 'colorectal carcinoma,' 'colon carcinoma,' 'rectal carcinoma' and/or 'colonoscopy' was used to identify the manuscripts for the study. Only full length manuscripts were included. The 100 most cited papers were identified and further analyzed by topic, journal, author, year and institution. The journals' 5 year impact factor and Eigenfactor scores were recorded.

RESULTS

146,833 eligible papers were returned. Within the top 100 cited manuscripts, the most studied topic was genetics in CRC (n = 41), followed by chemotherapy (n = 20) and surgical management (n = 7). The most cited paper authored by Fearon et al. (7850 citations) focused on genetic models of tumorgenesis. The NEJM published the highest number of papers (n = 23 with 42,576 citations). The country and year with the greatest number of publications were the USA (n = 62) and 2004 (n = 13) respectively.

CONCLUSION

The most cited manuscripts highlighted in the current work describe the genetic, immunologic, basic science and surgical techniques that have resulted in the current understanding and treatment of CRC. The majority of these works were published in high impact journals and have been cited at least 900 times each reflecting their quality and influence. This work provides a reference of what could be considered as the most influential papers in CRC and serves as a reference for researchers and clinicians as to what makes a 'citable' paper.

Understanding bibliometric parameters and analysis

Bibliometric parameters have become an important part of modern assessment of academic productivity. These parameters exist for the purpose of evaluating authors (publication count, citation count, h-index, m-quotient, hc-index, e-index, g-index, i-10 [i-n] index) and journals (impact factor, Eigenfactor, article influence score, SCImago journal rank, source-normalized impact per paper). Although in recent years there has been a proliferation of bibliometric parameters, the true meaning and appropriate use of these parameters is generally not well understood. Effective use of existing and emerging bibliometric tools can aid in assessment of academic productivity, including readiness for promotions and other awards. However, if not properly understood, the data can be misinterpreted and may be subject to manipulation. Familiarity with bibliometric parameters will aid in their effective implementation in the review of authors-whether individuals or groups-and journals, as well as their possible use in the promotions review process, maximizing the effectiveness of bibliometric analysis.

Bibliometric analysis of the top-cited gastroenterology and hepatology articles

OBJECTIVE

To identify the top-cited articles in gastroenterology and hepatology, and analyse their characteristics.

METHODS

Two searches were conducted in the Science Citation Index Expanded database; a search of 69 journals under the category 'Gastroenterology and Hepatology' (list A) and a keyword search of all journals (list B). The search results were analysed and the inter-rater coefficient of agreement between evaluators was measured using Cohen κ.

RESULTS

The number of citations varied from 1049 to 2959 in list A and from 1929 to 5500 in list B. In both lists, the majority of articles were research papers. No significant correlations were found between the number of citations and the number of years since publication (R(2)=0.00992, p=0.473 and R(2)=0.00202, p=0.757, respectively). However, the mean number of citations of papers published before the year 2000 was lower than those published after 2000 (36.70 ± 19.31 vs 106.03 ± 39.22). No correlation was found between number of authors and the number of citations (R(2)=0.04352, p=0.130), but strong correlations were found between the number of institutes involved or number of countries and the number of citations (R(2)=0.275, p<0.001 and R(2)=0.16181, p=0.003, respectively). Females were under-represented in authorship (45 vs 254, p=0.004). Only 21 papers (of 54) in list A were supported by grants. No correlation was found between number of grants received and the number of citations (R(2)=0.02573, p=0.247). The inter-rater agreement between evaluators had a Cohen κ coefficient 0.76-0.84.

CONCLUSIONS

Top-cited articles were not only published in highly ranked journals specialising in Gastroenterology and Hepatology but also in 14 journals not specialised in this field. The number of citations correlated with the number of institutes and the number of countries involved but not with the number of grants received or the number of authors. Females were under-represented in the authorship.

The 100 Most Influential Articles in Cervical Spine Surgery

Study Design Literature review. Objective To identify and analyze the top 100 cited articles in cervical spine surgery. Methods The Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge was searched for citations of all articles relevant to cervical spine surgery. The number of citations, authorship, year of publication, journal of publication, country of publication, and institution were recorded for each article. Results The most cited article was the classic from 1991 by Vernon and Mior that described the Neck Disability Index. The second most cited was Smith's 1958 article describing the anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion procedure. The third most cited article was Hilibrand's 1999 publication evaluating the incidence, prevalence, and radiographic progression of symptomatic adjacent segment disease following anterior cervical arthrodesis. The majority of the articles originated in the United States (65), and most were published in Spine (39). Most articles were published in the 1990s (34), and the three most common topics were cervical fusion (17), surgical complications (9), and biomechanics (9), respectively. Author Abumi had four articles in the top 100 list, and authors Goffin, Panjabi, and Hadley had three each. The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, had five articles in the top 100 list. Conclusion This report identifies the top 100 articles in cervical spine surgery and acknowledges those individuals who have contributed the most to the advancement of the study of the cervical spine and the body of knowledge used to guide evidence-based clinical decision making in cervical spine surgery today.

The 100 most-cited articles in spinal oncology

OBJECTIVE The authors' objective was to identify the 100 most-cited research articles in the field of spinal oncology. METHODS The Thomson Reuters Web of Science service was queried for the years 1864-2015 without language restrictions. Articles were sorted in descending order of the number of times they were cited by other studies, and all titles and abstracts were screened to identify the research areas of the top 100 articles. Levels of evidence were assigned on the basis of the North American Spine Society criteria. RESULTS The authors identified the 100 most-cited articles in spinal oncology, which collectively had been cited 20,771 times at the time of this writing. The oldest article on this top 100 list had been published in 1931, and the most recent in 2008; the most prolific decade was the 1990s, with 34 articles on this list having been published during that period. There were 4 studies with Level I evidence, 3 with Level II evidence, 9 with Level III evidence, 70 with Level IV evidence, and 2 with Level V evidence; levels of evidence were not assigned to 12 studies because they were not on therapeutic, prognostic, or diagnostic topics. Thirty-one unique journals contributed to the 100 articles, with the Journal of Neurosurgery contributing most of the articles (n = 25). The specialties covered included neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, neurology, radiation oncology, and pathology. Sixty-seven articles reported clinical outcomes. The most common country of article origin was the United States (n = 62), followed by Canada (n = 8) and France (n = 7). The most common topics were spinal metastases (n = 35), intramedullary tumors (n = 18), chordoma (n = 17), intradural tumors (n = 7), vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty (n = 7), primary bone tumors (n = 6), and others (n = 10). One researcher had authored 6 studies on the top 100 list, and 7 authors had 3 studies each on this list. CONCLUSIONS This study identified the 100 most-cited research articles in the area of spinal oncology. The studies highlighted the multidisciplinary and multimodal nature of spinal tumor management. Recognition of historical articles may guide future spinal oncology research.

Top-cited articles of the last 30 years (1985–2014) in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery

Background:

The frequency with which a scientific article is cited by other studies is one way to measure its academic influence.

Methods:

A comprehensive search was performed to identify journal articles in the otorhinolaryngology subject category of the 2013 Journal Citation Report Science Edition over the last 30 years (1985–2014). The 100 most cited articles were reviewed and basic information including the publication year, country of origin, source journal, article type and research field was collected.

Results:

The 100 most cited articles were published in 15 of the 44 otorhinolaryngology journals. The number of citations per article ranged between 208 and 1559. The leading research field was otology and neurotology (n = 50), followed by rhinology (n = 23) and head and neck surgery (n = 11). Most papers originated in the USA (n = 64).

Conclusion:

The possibility of an article being cited is influenced by the publication language, country of origin and source journal.

A Systematic Review of Levels of Evidence in Auricular Defects Literature: How Far Has It Been During the Past Three Decades?

BACKGROUND

Evidence-based medicine has been increasingly applied in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to identify the trends of levels of evidence and the relevant factors of higher level evidence in external auricular defects literature over 3 decades.

METHODS

The publications of external auricular defects published on 10 plastic surgery journals with higher impact factors from 1980 to 2011 were reviewed. Articles were appraised for level of evidence and other characteristics.

RESULTS

Of 245 eligible articles reviewed, no level I study was identified, 1 (0.41%) was level II, 10 (4.1%) were level III, 152 (62%) were level IV, 82 (33.5%) were level V. There was an increase of the levels of evidence (P ≈ 0) from 1980 to 2011. Studies with larger sample size (P = 0.014) and the application of P values or confidence intervals (P ≈ 0.000), those related to prevalence questions (P = 0.000004) were significantly associated with higher levels of evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

In the last 3 decades, the levels of evidence have increased significantly in external auricular defects literature. However, the predominant study remained levels IV and V.

Analysis of the 50 most cited papers in craniofacial surgery

The intent of this study is to discuss the most prominent literature in craniofacial surgery. To do so, using the ISI Web of Science, a ranking by average number of citations per year of the top 50 craniofacial surgery articles was compiled. All plastic surgery journals listed in the "Surgery" category in the ISI Web of Knowledge Journal Citation Reports 2013 Science Edition were considered. Journal of publication, country of origin, collaborating institutions, topic of interest, and level of evidence were analyzed. The total number of citations ranged from 47 to 1017. Average number of citations per year ranged from 46.2 to 8.6. The oldest article in the top 50 was published in 1988 and the most recent in 2009. The majority of the articles came from Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery with 28 of the 50. The majority of the articles, originated from the United States (56%). Reconstruction of acquired defects was the most commonly examined topic at 46.2%; followed by articles discussing reconstruction of congenital defects (23.1%). The most common level of evidence was level 3. This extensive examination of the craniofacial literature highlights the important part that craniofacial surgery takes in the field of plastic surgery.

Dupuytren's Contracture: A Bibliometric Study of the Most Cited Papers

The literature on Dupuytren's contracture is vast yet little information is known as to which papers have been the most influential. The purpose of this study was to identify the 50 most cited papers on Dupuytren's contracture and perform a citation analysis. Utilizing the Web of Science, 23 surgical, medical, plastic and hand surgery journals were searched for papers on Dupuytren's contracture. Resulting articles were ranked in order of times cited and each paper was analyzed for article-type, year of publication, country of origin, institution and level of evidence. The 50 most cited articles represent many important landmarks in Dupuytren's treatment and contain several seminal works by experts in the field. Whilst the top 50 list highlights the important papers on the condition, they certainly do not provide information about the quality of the evidence of the research, as most papers presented level 4 or 5 evidence.

The 50 Most Cited Papers in Craniofacial Anomalies and Craniofacial Surgery

Background

Citation analysis is a recognized scientometric method of classifying cited articles according to the frequency of which they have been referenced. The total number of citations an article receives is considered to reflect it's significance among it's peers.

Methods

Until now, a bibliometric analysis has never been performed in the specialty of craniofacial anomalies and craniofacial surgery. This citation analysis generates an extensive list of the 50 most influential papers in this developing field. Journals specializing in craniofacial surgery, maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, genetics and pediatrics were searched to demonstrate which articles have cultivated the specialty within the past 55 years.

Results

The results show an intriguing compilation of papers which outline the fundamental knowledge of craniofacial anomalies and the developments of surgical techniques to manage these patients.

Conclusions

This citation analysis provides a summation of the current most popular trends in craniofacial literature. These esteemed papers aid to direct our decision making today within this specialty.

Analysis of Orthopaedic Research Produced During the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

BACKGROUND

Military orthopaedic surgeons have published a substantial amount of original research based on our care of combat-wounded service members and related studies during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, to our knowledge, the influence of this body of work has not been evaluated bibliometrically, and doing so is important to determine the modern impact of combat casualty research in the wider medical community.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

We sought to identify the 20 most commonly cited works from military surgeons published during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and analyze them to answer the following questions: (1) What were the subject areas of these 20 articles and what was the 2013 Impact Factor of each journal that published them? (2) How many citations did they receive and what were the characteristics of the journals that cited them? (3) Do the citation analysis results obtained from Google Scholar mirror the results obtained from Thompson-Reuters' Web of Science?

METHODS

We searched the Web of Science Citation Index Expanded for relevant original research performed by US military orthopaedic surgeons related to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom between 2001 and 2014. Articles citing these studies were reviewed using both Web of Science and Google Scholar data. The 20 most cited articles meeting inclusion criteria were identified and analyzed by content domain, frequency of citation, and sources in which they were cited.

RESULTS

Nine of these studies examined the epidemiology and outcome of combat injury. Six studies dealt with wound management, wound dehiscence, and formation of heterotopic ossification. Five studies examined infectious complications of combat trauma. The median number of citations garnered by these 20 articles was 41 (range, 28-264) in Web of Science. Other research citing these studies has appeared in 279 different journals, covering 26 different medical and surgical subspecialties, from authors in 31 different countries. Google Scholar contained 97% of the Web of Science citations, but also had 31 duplicate entries and 29 citations with defective links.

CONCLUSIONS

Modern combat casualty research by military orthopaedic surgeons is widely cited by researchers in a diverse range of subspecialties and geographic locales. This suggests that the military continues to be a source of innovation that is broadly applicable to civilian medical and surgical practice and should encourage expansion of military-civilian collaboration to maximize the utility of the knowledge gained in the treatment of war trauma.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, therapeutic study.