Extended reality in cranial and spinal neurosurgery - a bibliometric analysis

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Medical Technology
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Extended reality (XR) encompasses virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies.
• XR applications in neurosurgery are rapidly evolving.
• Understanding research trends and authorship is crucial for future development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of the top 100 cited articles on XR in neurosurgery.
• To identify trends in publication, authorship, and global distribution.
• To compare research focus between cranial and spinal neurosurgery.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of the Web of Science database was performed.
• The top 100 most-cited articles on XR in neurosurgery were analyzed.
• Data on publication trends, journal characteristics, authorship, global distribution, study design, and focus areas were extracted and compared.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in spinal neurosurgery publications, particularly on pedicle screw placement using AR, was observed from 2005.
• Cranial neurosurgery publications showed no significant increase, with a greater emphasis on VR for education, surgical skills assessment, and planning.
• Female authorship was consistently low across both cranial and spinal research, with North America dominating publications.

Conclusions:

• Neurosurgery research utilizing XR has expanded significantly since 2005.
• Cranial research emphasizes VR for resident education, while spinal research focuses on AR for neuronavigation.
• Underrepresentation of female authors and the dominance of North American contributions characterize high-impact XR neurosurgery research.