JTCVS Open. 2026 May 4;32:101807. doi: 10.1016/j.xjon.2026.101807. eCollection 2026 Aug.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze research trends and key contributors in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery over 25 years (2000-2024) using bibliometric methods.
METHODS: A total of 9190 articles from Web of Science were analyzed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix to assess publication trends, citation metrics, author/institution/country contributions, co-citation networks, and keyword co-occurrence.
RESULTS: Annual publications increased from 329 (2000) to 659 (2014), then stabilized at an average of 319 ± 32 (2015-2024). Impact factor peaked at 6.44 in 2021. The United States led with 4695 publications, followed by Japan and Canada. Harvard University topped institutional output (662 publications), whereas Blackstone EH was the most influential author (h-index: 65). The 20 most-cited articles were predominantly clinical studies focused on surgical techniques and outcomes. Co-citation analysis identified aortic surgery, cardiac valve surgery, and coronary artery surgery as major domains. Citation burst analysis revealed transcatheter aortic valve replacement as the most dynamic recent frontier, with Mack MJ and Popma JJ showing strongest citation bursts. Cardiac surgery was the most frequent key word (300 occurrences), followed by non-small cell lung cancer and coronary artery bypass. Recent emerging terms include acute kidney injury, coronavirus disease, and surgical aortic valve replacement.
CONCLUSIONS: This 25-year bibliometric analysis reveals The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery as a leading platform for cardiothoracic surgery research with sustained growth and increasing scholarly impact. The field demonstrates strong North American institutional dominance, with transcatheter aortic valve replacement emerging as the primary research frontier. Future directions should emphasize international collaboration, research in low- and middle-income regions, transcatheter technologies, and translational research integration.
PMID:42781353 | PMC:PMC13598858 | DOI:10.1016/j.xjon.2026.101807