Latest Research Hotspots of Nerve Block in Knee Replacement Surgery: A Bibliometric Analysis and Visualized Review

Nerve block techniques, such as adductor canal block (ACB) and femoral nerve block (FNB), are increasingly used for postoperative pain management following knee replacement surgeries. This bibliometric analysis explores research trends and emerging topics in nerve block studies associated with knee arthroplasty.

Relevant publications on Nerve Block in Knee Replacement Surgery were collected from the Web of Science database. Subsequently, VOSviewer 1.6.18 software was used to analyze the co-authorship, co-occurrence, and citations of countries, institutions, authors, hotspot keywords, and journals associated with these studies.

A total of 275 publications pertaining to nerve block in knee replacement surgery, published between 2015 and 2025, were identified. China (19 publications) had the highest number of publications in this field, with Sichuan University (5 publications) making the most significant contribution. The Journal of Arthroplasty published the highest number of research articles (25 publications) and was the most co-cited. Kang, Pengde was the most published author and also the most co-cited (4 publications; 143 citations). The most popular keywords were "total knee arthroplasty," "femoral nerve block," "adductor canal block," "meta-analysis," and "analgesia."

This study's findings offer an overview of the main directions in nerve block research. These insights will play a crucial role in shaping clinical guidelines and improving postoperative care for knee replacement patients.