Research Trends and Hotspots Evolution of Nerve Decompression: A Bibliometric Analysis From 2005 to 2024

The incidence of nerve entrapment-related diseases, caused by a variety of factors, has been increasing annually, significantly impairing patients' quality of life. Nerve decompression serves as one of the critical approaches for treating such conditions. However, there remains a scarcity of bibliometric analyses within the field of nerve decompression.

The publications related to nerve decompression in the Web of Science database from 2005 to 2024 were collected. Bibliometric methods were used to analyze the basic components of publications, synthesize research trends, and predict future research hotspots.

A total of 606 publications were included in our study, with the number of publications ranging from 16 in 2005 to 52 in 2024. In terms of countries, the United States occupies a central position in both the number of publications (213 publications) and the quality (H-index = 34) and works closely with other countries. In terms of publishing institutions, Shanghai Jiao Tong University has the largest number of 18 publications. Acta Neurochirurgica is the journal with the highest number of 27 publications. The focus of research in this field can be divided into 3 main categories: cranial nerves, upper limb nerves, and lower limb nerves. The topic of research has gradually transferred to the lower limb nerve, and the keyword sacral nerve will be a hot topic in this field.

This is the first bibliometric study to comprehensively summarize trends and hotspots in nerve decompression research. Our findings shed light on future research directions, international collaborations, and interdisciplinary relationships. The sacral nerve has emerged as a current and potential future research hotspot, warranting further exploration.