Systematic analysis of hip-preserving treatment for early osteonecrosis of the femoral head from the perspective of bibliometrics (2010–2023)

Abstract

Background: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a serious condition that causes bone tissue death, femoral head collapse, and hip joint destruction. Early intervention through hip-preserving treatment is crucial to slow down disease progression, preserve hip joint function, and improve the quality of life of patients. We analyzed the knowledge map, research gaps, and future research directions in the field of hip-preserving treatment for early ONFH. Methods: All publications related to hip-preserving treatment for early ONFH published between 2010 and 2023 were identified from the Web of Science Core Collection and analyzed using VOSviewer 1.6.19, CiteSpace 6.2.R2, and Scimago Graphica 1.0.35. Results: In total, 234 articles were analyzed. The results showed an exponential growth trend in the number of publications related to hip-preserving treatment for early ONFH in the past decade. China and the USA were the main contributors. International Orthopaedics published the most papers in this field, whereas Bone and Joint Surgery-American Volume had the highest average citation count per article. Several stable research topics were noted in this field, including core decompression (CD), osteotomy, bone transplantation in hip-preserving surgery, and cell therapy, which have become research hotspots in hip-preserving treatment. Conclusions: Hip-preserving treatment for early ONFH has received increasing attention, and research in this field is expected to grow. Stable research topics include core decompression (CD), osteotomy, bone transplantation, and cell therapy. Future research is predicted to focus on cell therapy and combination therapy, resulting in an increasing number of publications on hip-preserving treatment for early ONFH.