Bibliometric Analysis of the Top 100 Most-Cited Articles on Intracranial Flow Diversion

Flow diverters are novel, contemporary tools in treating intracranial aneurysms. There is rapid publication turnover, with newer devices introduced and expanding indications. The bibliometric analysis measures the impact of particular articles and summarizes the chronologic trends overall.

In July 2020, we performed a thorough search of the Scopus database using the terms "flow diversion," "flow diverter," and "flow diverting stent." The top 100 most impactful articles were arranged based on citation count in descending order. The collected articles were then analyzed with an assessment of relevant factors.

Almost 1671 articles were published between 2007 and 2020. The gathered top 100 most-cited articles amassed 10,035 citations, with an average citation count of 100.35. An 8.8% self-citation rate was identified for all authors. The publication trends peaked in 2012, in which 24% of articles were published. Most prolific categories with top citations are on pipeline embolization, followed by the SILK flow diverter category. The United States published the highest number of articles. The University of Buffalo and Mayo Clinic published most of the articles among other institutions. American Journal of Neuroradiology was the most productive journal by producing 28 articles.

This bibliometric analysis shows significant chronologic trends, with a shift from usefulness and outcome to short-term and long-term complications. Areas to improve in flow diverter research can be addressed after this analysis of the most impactful articles on this topic.