From fluoroscopy to artificial intelligence: three decades of percutaneous pelvic ring fixation—a bibliometric and science-mapping analysis (1996–2026)
- 1Orthopaedic and Trauma Unit, Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience (DiBraiN), AOU Consorziale Policlinico, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, Bari, Italy
- 2Section of Legal Medicine, AOU Consorziale Policlinico, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, Bari, Italy
Abstract
Introduction: Percutaneous pelvic-ring fixation requires implant placement within narrow osseous corridors. Navigation, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) have successively been proposed to improve accuracy and reduce radiation exposure. This study mapped three decades of research on these technologies, characterising publication trends and the field’s intellectual, conceptual and social structure.
Materials and methods: The Web of Science Core Collection (primary dataset, with parsed cited references) and Scopus (robustness comparison) were searched on 8 June 2026. Searches combined pelvic-fixation and technology terms and targeted articles, reviews and conference papers; degenerative-spine, deformity, arthroplasty and isolated acetabular records were excluded, while adjacent WoS categories retained by platform indexing were evaluated in sensitivity analysis. Bibliometrix analyses comprised performance indicators, collaboration patterns, co-citation, keyword co-occurrence, thematic mapping and trend analysis on a harmonised keyword field.
Results: The primary corpus comprised 271 documents from 97 sources, with 1311 authors and 16.3 mean citations per document. Output rose from low single digits before 2010 to 25–29 documents per year in 2022–2023; an exploratory logistic model indicated continued rapid growth. The Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma and Injury dominated the source landscape, while Germany, China, Switzerland and the United States led production. Foundational percutaneous-fixation studies and the subsequent navigation literature structured the intellectual base. Navigation, fluoroscopy and screw insertion formed the conceptual backbone, whereas explicit AI terminology appeared in only 1 of 271 documents at the author-keyword level.
Conclusions: Percutaneous pelvic-ring fixation research is in sustained growth around a mature navigation backbone, while robotics, augmented reality and AI form a thin but identifiable emerging frontier. The findings support research prioritisation, cross-border collaboration and transparent reporting of new technologies in trauma orthopaedics.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-026-06562-3.
Related
- Artificial Intelligence‐Assisted Automated Optical Coherence Tomography Analysis for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Planning: From Plaque Analysis to Precision Lesion Preparation and Stent Optimization
- Artificial intelligence in breast cancer research: a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of emerging trends and future directions
- A Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Nursing Diagnosis and Decision Support Systems with Artificial Intelligence (2009-2023)
- Comparative Outcomes of Ultrasound-Guided Versus Fluoroscopy-Guided Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage (PTBD) Due to Malignant Obstructive Jaundice: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis.
- Effect of an artificial intelligence health education accurately linking system on self-management in young and middle-aged patients after percutaneous coronary intervention: a protocol
BibTeX
@article{vicenti2026from,
title = {{From fluoroscopy to artificial intelligence: three decades of percutaneous pelvic ring fixation—a bibliometric and science-mapping analysis (1996–2026)}},
author = {Giovanni Vicenti and Davide Ferorelli and Michele Loiodice and Gianmarco Sirago and Giuseppe Solarino and Alessandro Dell’Erba},
journal = {Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1007/s00402-026-06562-3},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-026-06562-3},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - From fluoroscopy to artificial intelligence: three decades of percutaneous pelvic ring fixation—a bibliometric and science-mapping analysis (1996–2026)
AU - Giovanni Vicenti
AU - Davide Ferorelli
AU - Michele Loiodice
AU - Gianmarco Sirago
AU - Giuseppe Solarino
AU - Alessandro Dell’Erba
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/04
JO - Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery
DO - 10.1007/s00402-026-06562-3
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-026-06562-3
AB - Introduction: Percutaneous pelvic-ring fixation requires implant placement within narrow osseous corridors. Navigation, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) have successively been proposed to improve accuracy and reduce radiation exposure. This study mapped three decades of research on these technologies, characterising publication trends and the field’s intellectual, conceptual and social structure. Materials and methods: The Web of Science Core Collection (primary dataset, with parsed cited references) and Scopus (robustness comparison) were searched on 8 June 2026. Searches combined pelvic-fixation and technology terms and targeted articles, reviews and conference papers; degenerative-spine, deformity, arthroplasty and isolated acetabular records were excluded, while adjacent WoS categories retained by platform indexing were evaluated in sensitivity analysis. Bibliometrix analyses comprised performance indicators, collaboration patterns, co-citation, keyword co-occurrence, thematic mapping and trend analysis on a harmonised keyword field. Results: The primary corpus comprised 271 documents from 97 sources, with 1311 authors and 16.3 mean citations per document. Output rose from low single digits before 2010 to 25–29 documents per year in 2022–2023; an exploratory logistic model indicated continued rapid growth. The Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma and Injury dominated the source landscape, while Germany, China, Switzerland and the United States led production. Foundational percutaneous-fixation studies and the subsequent navigation literature structured the intellectual base. Navigation, fluoroscopy and screw insertion formed the conceptual backbone, whereas explicit AI terminology appeared in only 1 of 271 documents at the author-keyword level. Conclusions: Percutaneous pelvic-ring fixation research is in sustained growth around a mature navigation backbone, while robotics, augmented reality and AI form a thin but identifiable emerging frontier. The findings support research prioritisation, cross-border collaboration and transparent reporting of new technologies in trauma orthopaedics. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-026-06562-3.
SN - 0936-8051
SN - 1434-3916
ER -