Osteotomy for treating knee osteoarthritis from 2012 to 2023: Bibliometric analysis and global trends

Numerous surgical interventions are available for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). In recent years, knee-preserving surgery, specifically osteotomy, has gained significant attention from patients, particularly those who are young and physically active, as it not only effectively alleviates pain but also preserves bone integrity, thereby allowing for potential future joint replacement. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the global application trends of osteotomy for KOA and identify the current research hotspots.

We conducted a literature search encompassing English-language studies on osteotomy for KOA published from 2012 to 2023 in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Bibliometric analysis tools, including VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R Studio, were employed to analyze global trends and research hotspots.

We analyzed 1520 eligible publications, comprising 1350 articles and 170 reviews. The number of articles on osteotomy for KOA has exhibited a consistent upward trend over the past decade. The top 3 contributing countries (South Korea, United States, and China) accounted for 45.98% of all published articles. U.S. scholars exhibited high productivity, prominence, and academic impact in this field. Seoul National University published the most papers on the relationship between osteotomy and KOA, while Sungkyunkwan University had the highest average citation rate. Among authors, Yong Seuk Lee from Korea and Steffen Schroeter from Germany had the highest number of publications and average citation values, respectively. Research interests were clustered into 5 categories: "High tibial osteotomy," "Biomechanics of osteotomy," "Osteotomy combined with cartilage repair techniques," "Postoperative prognosis and outcomes," and "Improvement of surgical techniques."

Recent years have witnessed notable rapid progress in the research on osteotomy for KOA. The field is poised for continued growth in terms of academic literature. The United States has emerged as a global leader in knee osteotomy research, while Korea demonstrates considerable potential in this domain. Future research hotspots may encompass high tibial osteotomies, osteotomies combined with cartilage repair techniques, and advancements in surgical techniques for KOA.