Prominent Literature in Surgical Ethics: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis of the Top 50 Most-Cited Articles

The patient-surgeon encounter is a complex relationship characterized by the infliction of pain for the patient's benefit. While surgical interventions are deeply personal, a significant knowledge disparity between patients and surgeons poses challenges in communication. Surgical training emphasizes the cultivation of virtues and practices to prioritize patient interests, but contemporary surgical practice still grapples with ethical quandaries. Addressing these challenges head-on is vital for advancing the field while ensuring patient safety, informed consent, cost-effectiveness, and conflict management. This article aims to contribute to the discourse on surgical ethics by delineating its scope, exploring key ethical issues, and examining strategies employed by surgeons. Additionally, it investigates the impact of surgical ethics on patients, surgeons, and society. Through a bibliometric analysis of the top 50 articles, key themes and influential works are identified. Themes include ethics of surgical innovation, history of surgical ethics, surgical ethics in practice, and ethics education. The analysis also reveals trends in countries of origin, authorship, article types, and journal representation. Findings inform the development of ethical frameworks, guidelines, and ethical competencies in surgical practice, promoting patient-centered care and professionalism. Collaboration among stakeholders is essential to shape the future of surgical ethics.