Trends and Insights in Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis

Total hip arthroplasty (THA), a commonly performed surgical procedure for management of end-stage osteoarthritis, is considered minimally invasive and the popularity of the direct anterior approach (DAA) is increasing. The objective of this study is to analyze the current literature on DAA THA through conduct of a comprehensive bibliometric analysis.

A comprehensive search of the Web of Science Core Collection was conducted for identification of articles published between 1993 and 2022. Specific keywords associated with hip replacement and the anterior approach were used as an attempt to identify articles published in scientific journals.

As a result of the analysis, 743 articles were linked to DAA THA. The highest number of annual publications was reported for 2021, with 120 articles, followed by 2022 with 113 articles, 2020 with 104 articles, and 2018 with 69 articles. The United States led in contributions with 34.1% in production. The Medical University of Innsbruck contributed the highest number of studies with 263 articles, followed by the University of Ottawa with 229. The Journal of Arthroplasty emerged as the most influential journal with 903 articles and 4,571 citations. Keywords including "dislocation," "posterior approach," and "revision" were used frequently in 2015-2020, along with the increasing emphasis on perioperative complications and comparing different approaches.

The findings of this analysis provide helpful insights into the current attitude regarding DAA THA research, highlighting emerging trends and guiding the direction of future research. The increasing scientific production reflects growing interest in DAA THA.