Global Research Trends in Vertebral Artery Stenosis Treatment From 1980 to 2024: A Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis.

OBJECTIVE

The present study intends to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the research pertaining to the treatment of vertebral artery stenosis (VAS), with the objective of elucidating the evolution and trends in therapeutic strategies.

METHODS

A bibliometric analysis of publications spanning between January 1, 1980, and August 13, 2024, was conducted utilizing the Web of Science Core Collection database. The analysis and visualization of the data were performed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R package "bibliometrix" software.

RESULTS

The analysis included 856 documents published in 261 journals. The United States (202 publications, 23.60%), China (195 publications, 22.78%), and Japan (119 publications, 13.90%) were the leading countries in research output, with Capital Medical University identified as the most productive institution (63 publications). Neurosurgery and Stroke emerged as the most influential journals, exhibiting the highest H-index (both H-index = 8). Keyword clustering analysis revealed 4 distinct research domains: clinical trials and medical management; surgical interventions; endovascular techniques; and diagnostic approaches. The analysis revealed evolving research priorities in VAS treatment, highlighting "stents", "angioplasty", and "drug-coated balloon" as central themes. Keywords demonstrated a temporal evolution, with recent trends emphasizing "diagnosis", "ischemic stroke", and "endovascular treatment".

CONCLUSIONS

The bibliometric analysis traces VAS treatment from surgical to advanced endovascular methods. Keyword clustering revealed 4 primary domains; burst analysis shows growing interest in drug-coated balloons and precision diagnostics. Future work should target novel endovascular devices, precise diagnostic criteria, and long-term outcomes. Clinically, emphasis is on minimally invasive interventions and integrating advanced imaging with personalized treatment strategies.