The 50 Highest Cited Papers on Shoulder Arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Research Impact

Background:

• Shoulder arthroplasty (SA) is a significant orthopedic procedure.
• Understanding influential research is crucial for advancing SA techniques and patient outcomes.
• Bibliometric analysis provides insights into the most impactful scientific contributions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize the 50 most cited articles in shoulder arthroplasty (SA).
• To analyze publication trends, evidence levels, and institutional contributions within highly cited SA research.
• To provide a foundational understanding of the seminal works shaping the field of SA.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of the Thomson ISIWeb of Science database was conducted.
• Keywords included "shoulder arthroplasty", "shoulder replacement", "shoulder prosthesis", and "shoulder implant".
• All papers related to SA, including perioperative and postoperative management, were included.

Main Results:

• The 50 most cited SA articles received between 52 and 797 citations.
• 78% of the top articles were clinical research, with Level IV evidence being most prevalent (72%).
• The Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery published 40% of these highly cited studies, predominantly from the United States.

Conclusions:

• The most cited articles in shoulder arthroplasty are predominantly clinical in nature.
• The Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery is a key publisher of influential SA research.
• This analysis offers a valuable overview of foundational literature in shoulder arthroplasty.