Loonen, MPJ; Hage, JJ; Kon, M Publications of plastic surgery research 1972 through 2004: a longitudinal trend analysis of three international journals JOURNAL OF PLASTIC RECONSTRUCTIVE AND AESTHETIC SURGERY, 60 (8): 934-945 2007

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: j.jorishage at inter.nl.net 

Author(s): Loonen, MPJ (Loonen, Martijn P. J.); Hage, JJ (Hage, J. Joris); 
Kon, M (Kon, Moshe) 

Title: Publications of plastic surgery research 1972 through 2004: a 
longitudinal trend analysis of three international journals 

Source: JOURNAL OF PLASTIC RECONSTRUCTIVE AND AESTHETIC SURGERY, 60 (8): 
934-945 2007  

Language: English 

Document Type: Article 

Author Keywords: research; publications; trend analysis; bibliometry 

Keywords Plus: RECONSTRUCTIVE-SURGERY; ARTICLES; IMPACT; CARE; ONCOLOGY; 
NORTH; UK; US 

Abstract: Background and purpose of study: Assessment and benchmarking of 
research output is becoming a necessity in the quest for research funds 
and grants. However, reports on the trends in international research 
output by plastic surgeons over the years are lacking. We longitudinally 
analysed plastic surgery publications over the last three decades.

Materials and methods: Data on the topic of surgical interest and the 
anatomical region of research, the country of origin, and the origin and 
number of collaborating clinics were noted for each original article 
published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the British Journal of 
Plastic Surgery, and the European Journal of Plastic Surgery in 1972, 
1980, 1988, 1996, and 2004.
Main findings and Conclusions: The number of articles in three 
international plastic surgery journals has more than doubled over the last 
three decades. Reconstruction of acquired defects remained the most 
important topic in all three journals, but an interest in rejuvenation or 
aesthetic surgery seems to replace that in basic research. The head and 
neck area remains the anatomical region of most interest to date, but this 
interest has decreased substantially. Most articles still originate from 
the USA, but the absolute and relative number of articles originating from 
Europe and Asia is rapidly increasing. Also, the published output of multi-
national scientific collaboration is increasing. Even though authors from 
larger countries, in general, contribute more publications in absolute 
numbers, authors from small countries have a more efficient output 
relative to the number of inhabitants and GDP of their country.

(c) 2006 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic 
Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 

Addresses: Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hosp, Netherlands Canc Inst, Dept Plast 
& Reconstruct Surg, NL-1066 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands; Univ Utrecht, Med 
Ctr, Dept Plast & Reconstruct Surg, NL-3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands 

Reprint Address: Hage, JJ, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hosp, Netherlands Canc 
Inst, Dept Plast & Reconstruct Surg, Plesmanlaan 121, NL-1066 CX 
Amsterdam, Netherlands. 

E-mail Address: j.jorishage at inter.nl.net 

Cited Reference Count: 33 

Times Cited: 0 

Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD 

Publisher Address: THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 
1GB, OXON, ENGLAND 

ISSN: 1748-6815 

29-char Source Abbrev.: J PLAST RECONSTR AESTHET SURG 

ISO Source Abbrev.: J. Plast. Reconstr. Aesthet. Surg. 

Source Item Page Count: 12 

Subject Category: Surgery 

ISI Document Delivery No.: 200MZ 

*EUR STAT
EUR DEM STAT NAT ACC : 

*I SCI INF
J CIT REP 2003 : 2004 

*IFS
INR MON FUND STAT DE : 

*UN STAT DIV
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