Exploring the prospects of hydrogel in enhancing cartilage repair: Bibliometric and visual analysis (2005-2024)

Articular cartilage possesses limited self-repair capacity, making the treatment of injuries and degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis particularly challenging. Hydrogels have emerged as highly promising scaffolds in cartilage tissue engineering due to their biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, and ability to mimic the native extracellular matrix. Despite substantial research output over the past two decades, a comprehensive, data-driven overview of the global research landscape, evolution trends, and collaborative networks in this field remains lacking. This study employs bibliometric analysis to systematically map the knowledge structure, identify research frontiers, and assess the translational progress of hydrogel applications in cartilage repair from 2005 to 2024.

A systematic search of the Web of Science Core Collection was conducted, retrieving 2339 relevant publications after screening. Bibliometric data were analyzed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Excel to evaluate publication trends, geographical and institutional contributions, international collaborations, co-authorship networks, key journals, influential references, and keyword evolution. Analytical metrics included publication/citation counts, H-index, co-occurrence, clustering, and burst detection.

The annual publication output demonstrated a significant and accelerating growth trend, particularly after 2015, indicating rising global interest. China led in total publications (955, 40.83 %), while the United States exhibited higher average citation counts and H-index, reflecting greater research impact and influence. Extensive international collaboration networks were identified, with China and the U.S. serving as central hubs. Key research institutions, such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, were pivotal in driving productivity and collaboration. Analysis of keywords and cited references revealed evolving research foci, from fundamental themes like chondrocytes and biocompatibility to emerging frontiers including injectable hydrogels, 3D bioprinting, exosomes, and targeted drug delivery systems.

This bibliometric analysis delineates two decades of dynamic growth and thematic evolution in hydrogel-based cartilage repair research. While substantial progress has been made in material development and preclinical validation, the transition to clinical application remains a critical challenge. Future efforts should prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration, standardization of biocompatibility and efficacy testing, and the development of personalized hydrogel therapies informed by precision medicine. Bridging the gap between laboratory innovation and clinical implementation is essential to fully realize the potential of hydrogels in improving cartilage regeneration outcomes.