Scientometrics
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Surg. Mar 27, 2025; 17(3): 100920
Published online Mar 27, 2025. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i3.100920
Global trends and research hotspots in esophageal strictures: A bibliometric study
Xiao-Ying Wang, Hong-Yu Chen, Qi Sun, Man-Hua Li, Meng-Nan Xu, Tao Sun, Zi-Han Huang, Dong-Lin Zhao, Bai-Rong Li, Shou-Bin Ning, Chong-Xi Fan
Xiao-Ying Wang, Shou-Bin Ning, College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, Shaanxi Province, China
Xiao-Ying Wang, Hong-Yu Chen, Qi Sun, Man-Hua Li, Meng-Nan Xu, Tao Sun, Zi-Han Huang, Dong-Lin Zhao, Bai-Rong Li, Shou-Bin Ning, Chong-Xi Fan, Department of Gastroenterology, Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, Beijing 100142, China
Hong-Yu Chen, The Air Force Clinical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China.
Co-first authors: Xiao-Ying Wang and Hong-Yu Chen.
Co-corresponding authors: Shou-Bin Ning and Chong-Xi Fan.
Author contributions: Wang XY and Chen HY conceived and designed the study, they contributed equally as co-first authors; Wang XY, Chen HY, and Sun Q led the data processing, statistical analysis, and drafting of the manuscript; Li MH, Xu MN, Sun T, Huang ZH, Zhao DL, and Li BR analyzed and interpreted data; Wang XY, Chen HY, Sun Q, Ning SB, and Fan CX reviewed and supervised the study; Ning SB and Fan CX contributed equally as co-corresponding authors; Fan CX will take primary responsibility for communication with the journal during the manuscript submission, peer review, and publication processes; and all authors critically reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by Beijing Science and Technology Planning Project, No. Z221100007422061; and the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province, General Project, No. 2018SF-159.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Chong-Xi Fan, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, No. 30 Fucheng Road, Beijing 100142, China. fcx329@fmmu.edu.cn
Received: August 30, 2024
Revised: December 31, 2024
Accepted: January 21, 2025
Published online: March 27, 2025
Processing time: 177 Days and 23.9 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Esophageal stricture is a prevalent condition affecting the digestive system, primarily marked by dysphagia and the obstruction of food passage through the esophagus. This narrowing of the esophageal lumen can significantly impact a person’s ability to eat and drink comfortably, often leading to a decrease in nutritional intake and quality of life.

AIM

To explore the current research status and future trends of esophageal stricture through bibliometric analysis.

METHODS

Literature on esophageal stricture from 2004 to 2023 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Statistical analysis was performed using Excel, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and RStudio. This study provides data on annual production trends, countries/regions, influential authors, institutions, journals, references, and keywords.

RESULTS

The study included 1485 publications written by 7469 authors from 1692 institutions across 66 countries/regions, published in 417 journals. The United States, China, and Japan are the major contributors to this field, with many quality papers. Song Ho-young, Diseases of the Esophagus, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and Mayo Clinic are the top authors, journals, co-cited journals, and institutions, respectively. The most frequent keywords are stent, endoscopy, management, etiology, and prevention; regenerative medicine, endoscopic injection, and autologous tissue transplantation are the latest research frontiers. These keywords reflect continuous advancements in technical innovation, treatment strategies, preventive measures in the esophageal stricture research field, and a sustained focus on improving patient prognosis. In contrast, the basic sciences were underrepresented.

CONCLUSION

This study provides an insightful analysis of the developments in the field of esophageal stricture over the past twenty years, with stent placement is currently a hot research topic.

Keywords: Esophageal stricture; Bibliometrics; Stents; VOSviewer; CiteSpace

Core Tip: This comprehensive bibliometric study offers an in-depth summary and analysis of 1485 publications authored by 7469 researchers from 66 countries, highlighting the leading contributions from the United States, China, and Japan. The study uncovers pivotal trends and emerging focal points in esophageal stricture research, particularly emphasizing breakthroughs in stent placement techniques, significant progress in regenerative medicine, the expanding role of endoscopic injection therapies, and the promising potential of autologous tissue transplantation. These insights are poised to influence and shape future therapeutic strategies and decision-making processes in the field.