ArticleFrontiers in surgery2025
Emerging applications and research trends of 3D printing and bioprinting in thoracic surgery: a bibliometric and visualized analysis.
Article in Frontiers in surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Three-dimensional (3D) printing and bioprinting technologies have rapidly evolved into essential tools in thoracic surgery, enabling personalized anatomical modeling, implant fabrication, and tissue engineering. However, the global research landscape and thematic evolution of this field remain incompletely characterized. Methods: A comprehensive bibliometric and visualized analysis was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and PubMed databases, covering studies published between 2008 and 2024. Data visualization and network analyses were performed using CiteSpace (v6.2.4R) and VOSviewer (v1.6.18) to assess publication trends, author and institutional collaborations, co-citation patterns, and keyword evolution. Results: A total of 740 publications were identified, including 627 original articles and 113 reviews, contributed by 4,077 authors from 1,277 institutions across 71 countries. Annual publications increased steadily, peaking in 2024. China ranked first in publication volume (205 papers, 27.7%), while the United States had the highest citation impact (10,969 citations; 58.66 citations per paper). The most active journals were Journal of Thoracic Disease and Medical Physics. Keyword and co-citation analyses revealed three main research phases (1): anatomical modeling and surgical simulation (2008-2015) (2); prosthetic design and clinical application (2016-2020); and (3) tissue engineering, radiotherapy guidance, and bioprinting innovations (2021-2024). Emerging hotspots included electrospinning, volatile organic compound sensing, and tumor-specific implant customization. Conclusion: Global research on 3D printing in thoracic surgery has expanded rapidly, with a clear transition from mechanical reconstruction toward biologically functional and regenerative approaches. The integration of bioprinting with advanced imaging, artificial intelligence, and robotics holds promise for personalized, precision thoracic surgery. Continued interdisciplinary collaboration will be essential to accelerate clinical translation and regulatory approval of biofabricated constructs.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.