Global Research Trends and Thematic Evolution of Intravenous Lidocaine in Perioperative Analgesia: A Bibliometric Analysis (1983-2025)

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: Intravenous lidocaine is increasingly used as an adjunct for perioperative analgesia, but the global development and thematic evolution of this field remain incompletely mapped. This study aimed to characterize global research trends, major contributors, and evolving themes in intravenous lidocaine-related perioperative analgesia research. METHODS: English-language original articles published from January 1, 1983, to January 23, 2025, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the bibliometrix R package were used for bibliometric analysis and visualization. RESULTS: A total of 517 publications from 2,706 authors across 52 countries were identified, with annual research output increasing continuously, peaking in 2023. The most significant growth occurred after 2009, aligning with broader adoption of multimodal analgesia and enhanced recovery strategies. The United States led in total publications (117) and citations (3,888), followed by China (92 publications). Analysis of keyword co-occurrence identified seven thematic clusters and revealed a shift from early focus on pharmacological mechanisms and local anesthesia toward systemic applications and opioid-sparing approaches, postoperative recovery, and multimodal perioperative care. DISCUSSION: The thematic shift indicates that intravenous lidocaine research has progressed from foundational, technique-oriented investigations to outcome-oriented clinical applications and protocol development. CONCLUSION: Intravenous lidocaine research in perioperative analgesia has expanded over four decades. Future studies should prioritize standardized infusion protocols, individualized dosing, procedure- specific safety assessment, and stronger international collaboration to support translation into perioperative practice.