Trends in Lower Limb Orthoplastic Surgery: A Bibliometric Analysis

Orthoplastic surgery integrates orthopedic and plastic surgical expertise and principles in the context of complex lower limb pathologies involving bone and soft tissue. Rapid advancements in the field have revolutionized the multidisciplinary approach to such conditions and have allowed for advancements in techniques used and outcomes achieved. We performed the first bibliometric analysis focused on the 100 most-cited articles related to lower limb orthoplastic surgery (LLOS) to analyze emerging trends and provide guidance for future research in the field.

The 100 most-cited articles related to LLOS were identified on Web of Science across all databases and all years. Study details, including total citation count, study outcomes, primary orthoplastic pathology, and the modality used, were extracted, and the level of evidence was also assessed.

The 100 most-cited articles in LLOS were referenced by a total of 12,225 articles. Citation counts per article ranged significantly from 62 to 691 (mean: 103 ± 88.9). The majority of studies were retrospective cohorts (n = 59, mean citations: 139.8 ± 110.5). Only 1 study achieved level I status, highlighting a significant gap in methodological quality research within the field. Most studies focused on clinical outcomes (n = 88), whereas trauma and open fractures were the most common pathologies (n = 94), and flap coverage was the most common orthoplastic modality (n = 79) discussed.

Overall, the majority of the most influential articles in LLOS are of lower level evidence. Future research should prioritize improving methodological rigor and applying orthoplastic principles beyond trauma care.