Latest research hot spots of tympanostomy tube: A bibliometric analysis and visualized review

Tympanostomy tubes (TTs) are commonly used to treat chronic otitis media and recurrent ear infections, improving hearing and reducing effusions. This bibliometric analysis aimed to explore research trends and emerging topics in TT studies.

A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), focusing on English-language studies published between 2000 and 2024. After screening, 644 articles were included in the study. VOSviewer was used to analyze the data and generate visualizations of publication trends, top countries, institutions, journals, and citations.

Our analysis revealed 644 relevant publications. The United States led in terms of both publications (287) and citations (4,385). The University of Pittsburgh had the highest number of publications, whereas Johns Hopkins University had the highest number of citations per publication. Furthermore, Finland demonstrated an exceptional impact, with the highest citation-per-publication (CPP) value of 29.11, followed by Denmark (27.33) and Canada (21.41). Acta Oto-Laryngologica was the most productive journal. The key author was Richard M. Rosenfeld. U.S. Government agencies provided most of the funding. Keyword analysis identified otitis media, tympanostomy tubes, and Eustachian tube dysfunction as central themes, with emerging research on middle ear ventilation and surgical techniques.

This study highlights the influential role of North America (U.S and Canada) and Europe (England, Finland, and Denmark) in TT research, with key institutions and authors shaping the field. Emerging areas of focus include middle ear ventilation and the use of advanced surgical techniques.