Global Trends of the Research on Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament in Thoracic Spine: A Bibliometric and Visualization Study

Thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (TOPLL) is a rare but intractable disease, and is the second leading cause of thoracic myelopathy. This study aimed to illustrate the overall knowledge structure and development trends of TOPLL, using a bibliometric analysis and newly developed visualization tools.Research data sets were acquired from the Web of Science. The literature search was also limited to articles that were published until October 30, 2021. VOS viewer and Citespace software was provided to analyze the data and generate visualization knowledge maps. Annual trend of publications, distribution, H-Index status, co-authorship status, and research hotspots were analyzed.A total of 206 publications met the requirement. Japan published most papers (92), both total citations (1574) and H-index (24) ranked first of all the countries. The most productive organization was Peking University (22). The most productive author was Yamazaki M (18). The most productive journal was Spine (33). Diagnosis and treatment on the accuracy of surgical segments, prognosis of patients, and gene research were the research hotspots in the recent years.The study showed an upward trend with a stable rise in recent years. Japan is country with the highest productivity, not only in quality, but also in quantity. Peking University and Spine have been the largest contributors. Indeed, this study provides great insights to the growth and development of TOPLL. Moreover, it will contribute to the growth of the international frontier.