The Top 100 Endoscopic Spine Surgery Publications: An Updated Bibliometric Review
Leonide Toussaint Iv1, Andrew Lewis1, Jonathan DeLeon1
1Texas A&M College of Medicine.
Clinical Spine Surgery
|May 25, 2026
Summary
This study identifies the top 100 most-cited endoscopic spine surgery (ESS) publications. Research productivity has surged, revealing evolving global contributions and new techniques in minimally invasive spine care.
Area of Science:
- Spine Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Procedures
- Bibliometrics
Background:
- Endoscopic spine surgery (ESS) is a rapidly evolving field.
- Identifying seminal works is crucial for understanding its development.
- Analyzing citation trends reveals research impact and emerging themes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the top 100 most-cited publications in endoscopic spine surgery (ESS).
- To analyze emerging trends in ESS research over the past five years.
Main Methods:
- A two-step bibliometric analysis was performed.
- Eight key phrases were used to search three major research databases.
- Articles were ranked by citation count to determine the top 100.
Main Results:
- The top 100 ESS articles received between 94 and 648 citations.
- Most highly cited articles were published after 2006, with a significant portion in 'Spine'.
- South Korea, the United States, and Germany were leading contributors.
Conclusions:
- Endoscopic spine surgery research has seen exponential growth in the last five years.
- Emerging trends include shifts in international collaboration and the introduction of novel techniques and pathologies.
- This analysis provides insights into influential research, guiding evidence-based adoption of innovative ESS approaches.
