A bibliometric analysis of the 50 most cited articles on acromioclavicular joint reconstruction

The aim is to identify the 50 most cited papers and thus the most influential papers pertaining to ACJ reconstruction, and specifically, analysing the level of evidence (LOE), article content, journals occurring, and countries represented within the 50 most cited. A search of the Web of Science database was carried out using the following terms: "Acromioclavicular joint" OR "AC joint" (Topic) AND Reconstruction OR Repair (Topic). The top 50 relevant articles were analysed in relation to citations, citation density, geographic origin of the article, year published, and article type. The articles were cited a total of 6053 times. The most cited article was cited 347 times. The highest citation density was 20.02, with a mean citation density of 7.71 ± 4.13. Seventy per cent of the articles involved clinical research, 74% of which involved level IV evidence. Fifty-two per cent of the articles were published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM). Most authors originated from USA (n = 26 or 52%), followed by Germany (n = 14 or 28%). This study revealed a paucity of articles with higher LOE among the most cited. Eight of the top 10 are either theoretical or biomechanical studies, and one reports an examination technique. Only two of the top 10 reported outcomes following surgical intervention and can thus directly guide treatment. Future research in the area of ACJ reconstruction should focus on generating high-quality interventional studies capable of informing/impacting patient care. Publishing in journals such as AJSM or Arthroscopy may lead to more citations.