Analysis of Three-dimensional Printing Strategies for Meniscus/Articular Disc Repair and Regeneration

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) strategies in the field of meniscus and articular disc repair and regeneration have recently garnered significant attention. However, a comprehensive bibliometric assessment to evaluate the scientific progress in this area is lacking. This research aims to explore the development, key areas of focus, and new directions in 3DP techniques for meniscus and articular disc over the last 15 years, considering both structural and temporal perspectives. Academic papers on 3DP approaches for the repair and regeneration of these tissues were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric analysis tools such as R software, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer were utilized to examine the historical patterns, topic evolution, and emerging trends in this domain. For the past 15 years, there has been a steady increase in scholarly attention toward 3DP for the repair of meniscus and articular discs, along with a notable expansion in impactful scientific partnerships. The timeline analysis of references indicates that 3DP methodologies have predominantly shaped the research agenda over the last 10 years, retaining their significance amid annual fluctuations in the focus of citations. Four emerging research subfields were identified through keyword clustering: "mesenchymal stem cells," "fabrication," "scaffolds," and "cartilage." Additionally, we mapped out the top 13 key clusters based on CiteSpace. The time zone view of keyword analysis identified three emerging research niches: "anti-inflammatory and antioxidant," "chondrogenic differentiation," and "silk-based biomaterial-ink." The insights gleaned from these bibliometric studies highlight the current state and trends in 3DP research for meniscus and articular disc, potentially assisting researchers in identifying key focal points and pioneering innovative research directions within this area.