ArticleMicrosurgery2026
A 25-Year Bibliometric and Scientometric Analysis of Facial Paralysis Rehabilitation: Knowledge Structure, Influential Works, and Emerging Research Frontiers (2000-2025).
Article in Microsurgery, 2026. 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
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFacial paralysis rehabilitation has progressed substantially over the past two decades, yet the scientific landscape of this field remains highly fragmented across surgical, neurological, and rehabilitation disciplines. Despite growing clinical and technological advances-including neuromuscular retraining, chemodenervation strategies, nerve transfer techniques, and artificial intelligence-assisted assessment-no comprehensive bibliometric synthesis has mapped the intellectual structure, global research trends, or emerging fronts of facial paralysis rehabilitation.
methodsA bibliometric and scientometric analysis was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection (SCI-E, SSCI, ESCI) covering the period 2000-2025. A total of 1441 publications were analyzed using Bibliometrix/R, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Performance indicators, collaboration networks, co-authorship and co-citation structures, keyword co-occurrence clusters, thematic evolution, and citation burst patterns were examined.
resultsScientific output increased markedly, with an annual growth rate of 12.26% and a major acceleration after 2016. The United States dominated publication volume (n = 990), followed by Italy and China, while Harvard University and Massachusetts Eye and Ear emerged as the central institutional hubs. Hadlock TA represented the most influential author based on productivity and local citation impact. Source analysis demonstrated that Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Laryngoscope, and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery formed the journal core. Keyword and thematic analyses identified four major conceptual clusters: (1) rehabilitation and patient-centered outcomes, (2) surgical and reconstructive techniques, (3) synkinesis and chemodenervation, and (4) etiology and clinical assessment. Recent thematic fronts highlighted rapid expansion in artificial intelligence-based facial analysis, motion tracking systems, neuroplasticity-informed rehabilitation, and quality of life research. Citation burst detection revealed shifting priorities from early Bell's palsy management to contemporary technological and neurorehabilitation paradigms.
conclusionsFacial paralysis rehabilitation has evolved into a multidisciplinary and rapidly expanding field driven by innovations in surgical reanimation, neuroplasticity-based therapy, and computational assessment. However, research output remains geographically concentrated, international collaboration rates are modest, and high-quality comparative effectiveness trials are limited. Future priorities include global research capacity building, standardized outcome measurement, long-term follow-up studies, and real-world evaluation of technology-assisted interventions.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.