ArticlePlastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open2026
Changing Paradigms in Polyurethane-coated Breast Implant Surgery: A Bibliometric Analysis of 4 Decades of Clinical Practice.
Article in Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 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
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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.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Polyurethane-coated breast implants were developed to reduce capsular contracture through enhanced implant-tissue interaction. After fluctuating clinical adoption driven by regulatory and safety concerns, renewed interest has emerged, particularly in immediate and prepectoral implant-based breast reconstruction. However, the structure and thematic evolution of the literature have not been systematically quantified. Methods: A bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science Core Collection was performed, including articles and reviews published up to January 2026. Studies on polyurethane-coated breast implants in aesthetic or reconstructive surgery were included. Bibliometric indicators were analyzed using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix to evaluate publication trends, citation patterns, and research networks. Results: A total of 136 publications (1978-2026) were identified. Output remained limited until the mid-2000s, followed by rapid growth after 2017, with publication volume peaking in 2025. Italy, the United States, and Brazil accounted for more than 60% of publications, with research concentrated in a few centers and core journals. Keyword analyses showed a shift from capsular contracture and surface biology toward prepectoral and direct-to-implant reconstruction. Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma emerged as a key recent topic. Conclusions: The literature has undergone a marked thematic shift toward contemporary reconstructive strategies. Despite increasing output, evidence remains dominated by small retrospective studies with limited comparative data. Prospective multicenter studies are needed to clarify long-term safety, including breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma risk, and to define durable clinical and patient-reported outcomes.
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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.