Global research trends, evolution, and future directions on platelet-rich plasma in surgery: A bibliometric analysis

The study aimed to examine the international research landscape of PRP in surgery, identify influential contributors, and explore emerging research trends up to 2024.

Publications related to PRP in surgery were included from inception to 2024. Data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and analyzed via the Bibliometrix tool to assess publication growth, author influence, affiliations' output, countries' contribution, and keyword occurrence.

A total of 1898 articles were retrieved, demonstrating a consistent upward trajectory in publication output with an approximate annual growth rate of 14 %. Leading contributors include Pietro Gentile, Giuseppe Filardo, Valerio Cervelli and David M. Dohan Ehrenfest. Prominent institutions such as KU Leuven, Universidade Estadual Paulista, and the Egyptian Knowledge Bank, together with leading countries including China, the United States, and Italy, collectively constitute the core driving forces shaping this research domain. Keywords with high frequency revealed two dominant research clusters: PRP for musculoskeletal regeneration and PRF for oral surgery and wound healing. PRP research is expanding beyond established fields to new indications such as lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion and cardiac surgery, while advancing toward integration with engineering biomaterials.

Global PRP research in surgery has demonstrated sustained growth and increasing interdisciplinary integration. Future progress depends on enhancing cross-continental collaboration, protocol standardization, mechanistic elucidation, and large-scale randomized controlled trials. PRP has evolved from experimental research to clinical application as a key component of regenerative surgical strategies, contributing to the advancement of enhanced recovery after surgery.