Neurosurgeon King Abdulaziz University Milwaukee, WI, US
Introduction: The prone lateral (or prone transpsoas, PTP) approach in spine surgery has gained attention recently for its advantages, including single-position, minimally invasive circumferential decompression and fusion. This study aims to analyze publication trends on this emerging technique, providing an overview of current research and identifying gaps in the literature.
Methods: We conducted a systematic search using relevant keywords across multiple databases from inception to September 2024. Two reviewers independently screened all retrieved articles. We included all peer-reviewed publications on the PTP approach in spine surgery. Articles were then extracted from Scopus database for bibliometric data. The data were analyzed using the bibliometrics package in R and Publish or Perish (POP) software. Key metrics included annual publications, citation trends, countries and institutions of origin, and publishing journals.
Results: The first article discussing the PTP approach was published in 2014. Since then, 74 peer-reviewed articles (65 original studies and 9 reviews) have been published, accumulating a total of 678 citations. The annual growth rate of publications was 35.6%, with 21 publications recorded in 2024 (up to September, 2024), compared to 13 in 2021 (Figure 1). The majority of the studies (70.3%, n=52) were conducted at centers in the United States, followed by Brazil (8.1%, n=6) (Figure 2). World Neurosurgery journal published the highest number of PTP-related articles (n=12, 16.2%), followed by the European Spine Journal (n=10, 13.5%).
Conclusion : Over the past decade, there has been a substantial increase in research focusing on the PTP approach for spinal surgery, with the majority of contributions originating from the United States. Our analysis highlights the growing body of evidence surrounding this technique and identifies gaps in the literature that warrant further investigation.
.jpg)
