Global Trends and Hotspots in Endoscopic Discectomy: A Study Based on Bibliometric Analysis

Area of Science:

• Minimally invasive spine surgery
• Degenerative spinal disease treatment
• Bibliometric analysis of medical research

Background:

• Endoscopic discectomy (ED) is a common minimally invasive technique for degenerative spine conditions.
• Research in ED has seen substantial growth over the past two decades.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the knowledge structure, emerging trends, and future research hotspots in endoscopic discectomy.
• To provide a bibliometric overview of ED publications from 2002 to 2021.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of 1,196 publications on ED from 2002-2021, sourced from Web of Science.
• Evaluation of countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords using VOSviewer and CiteSpace software.

Main Results:

• China, South Korea, and the US are leading contributors to ED research.
• Wooridul Spine Hospital is the most influential institution; Lee SH and Ruetten S are prominent authors.
• Keywords cluster around clinical outcomes and surgical techniques for lumbar disc herniation and spinal stenosis, with future hotspots including reoperation and lateral recess stenosis.

Conclusions:

• Endoscopic discectomy research is a rapidly advancing field with increasing publication output.
• This bibliometric study highlights key trends and identifies future research directions in ED.
• Findings offer valuable insights for researchers and decision-makers in spine surgery.