Bibliometric analysis of research hotspots in tracheal intubation for children.

Abstract

Difficult airway management remains a major challenge for paediatric anaesthesiologists. Our aim is to visualise the research hotspots of tracheal intubation for children using bibliometric analysis and clarify the development status of this research field. English articles on pediatric intubation (2009-2025, Web of Science) were analyzed. Only original and review studies included. Publication trends, countries, authors, journals, keywords, and citations were statistically analyzed and visualized. The study results showed that a total of 752 eligible articles were included, and the annual number of publications showed a fluctuating increase, reaching a peak of 64 in 2023. The United States ranked first in both the number of publications (265) and citations (5,935). The journal Pediatric Anesthesia had the largest number of publications (58) and also the highest local citations (13,878). The most cited author globally was Silbergleit (468 citations), and the author with the most publications was Nishisaki (27 articles). The institution with the most publications was the University of Pennsylvania. The top three high-frequency keywords were children (329 times, 17%), endotracheal intubation (183 times, 9%) and tracheal intubation (125 times, 6%), and the core research hotspots were intubation efficacy, safety and airway difficulties. Study analyzes 752 pediatric intubation articles (2009-2025), showing growing interest, peak in 2023. U.S. leads; China productive but less recognized. Focus on anesthesia, critical care; Nishisaki prominent. Shift from basic to personalized techniques, emphasizing safety, difficult airways. Lacks Global South input. Highlights trends, guides clinical priorities, informs research.