Bibliometric analysis of ligamentum flavum from 1975 to 2024

The ligamentum flavum (LF) is a crucial spinal component that, under pathological conditions, can compress the spinal cord and adjacent segments, significantly impacting patient quality of life and function. Despite extensive research and advancements in the field, no bibliometric analysis has been conducted. This study applies bibliometrics to examine the LF research landscape.

We searched the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database for studies on LF from January 1, 1975, to March 1, 2024. Bibliometric analyses were performed using VOSviewer, the R package "Bibliometrix" and CiteSpace.

In total, 1645 LF-related studies were analyzed, showing an increase in publications over the past decade. China led in the number of publications, while the USA's work received the most citations and had significant international collaborations. Peking University was the leading institution in publications, with collaborations mostly domestic. The journal Spine was prominent and co-cited most often. Among 6286 authors, Chen Zhongqiang had the highest publication count, and Sairyo K was extensively co-cited. Key articles included "Prevalence, distribution, and morphology of ossification of the ligamentum flavum" and "Thoracic myelopathy caused by ossification of the ligamentum flavum." A citation burst was observed for the article "Ligamentum flavum fibrosis and hypertrophy." Besides "ligamentum flavum," "ossification of the ligamentum flavum" was the most commonly used keyword, and the top 3 clusters are mainly based on clinical operation, anatomical analysis and mechanism research, respectively.

This pioneering bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of LF research history and developmental trends spanning approximately 50 years. It maps key aspects such as countries, institutions, journals, authors, references, and keywords, serving as a valuable reference for researchers interested in further exploring LF.