Visualization analysis of piriformis syndrome: research trends and hotspots

doi:10.12307/2026.081

Abstract

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Piriformis syndrome is a common clinical disorder characterized by sciatic nerve compression due to piriformis muscle pathology, resulting in lower limb pain. Currently, no standardized diagnostic criteria or therapeutic consensus exist in clinical practice.
OBJECTIVE: To comprehensively investigate the research status, trends, and hotspots in the field of piriformis syndrome.
METHODS: On November 13, 2024, subject headings (MeSH terms) and free-text keywords were searched in PubMed. A tailored search strategy was applied to the Web of Science Core Collection. After language and document type restrictions followed by manual screening, bibliometric visualization analysis was performed using Excel, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and SciExplorer.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 238 articles were included, covering 128 journals and 478 institutions, with a total of 1 033 authors from 57 countries or regions contributing valuable research to the field of pyriformis syndrome, including a total of 5 742 citations, with an average of 24 citations per article and an H-index of 42. From 1994 to 2024, global research output on piriformis syndrome exhibits an upward trend. The United States contributed the highest number of publications. The most prolific author was Fishman L.M., while Harvard University (USA) ranked as the leading institution. The Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation was identified as the most influential journal. Current research focuses predominantly on the diagnosis, anatomy, etiology, and treatment management of piriformis syndrome. Future directions are anticipated to emphasize advancements in “anatomy,” “deep gluteal syndrome,” and “management.”

Key words: piriformis syndrome, diagnosis, treatment management, deep gluteal syndrome, research hotspots, bibliometrics, visualization analysis

CLC Number:

Li Kanglin, Jiang Yongdong, Wu Yufeng. Visualization analysis of piriformis syndrome: research trends and hotspots[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2026, 30(11): 2886-2895.

Figures/Tables 15

图3展示了1994-2024年梨状肌综合征领域文献的分布情况。1994年，有关梨状肌综合征的研究首次在Web of Science核心合集数据库出现。在1997年之前，这一时期该领域的相关研究尚处于起步阶段，论文发表数量寥寥无几；全球文献数量于1999年迎来首个峰值，共计8篇；2000-2007年期间，平均每年出版4.75篇文献，呈现出缓慢增长的趋势；2008-2010年，全球文献数量呈现快速增长态势，并于2010年达到第二个峰值，数量达到17篇；2011-2018年，发文量虽有所回落，总体仍保持稳定增长；2019-2024年，发文量持续增加。综上所述，全球关于梨状肌综合征领域的发文量在增长过程中虽存在一定波动，但整体呈现向上发展的趋势。经线性分析可得方程=0.364 1x+1.851 6，R2=0.543 7，这表明梨状肌综合征领域的研究在过去呈现出增长趋势，不过在增长过程中受到多种因素的干扰而产生波动。未来该领域的研究趋势可能会持续受到各种复杂因素的综合影响，值得进一步关注和深入分析。 2.2 梨状肌综合征领域研究国家分析 1994-2024年，全球范围内总计57个国家或地区参与了梨状肌综合征领域的发文活动，各国家发表文献数量如图4A所示；由图4B得知，在发文量排名前10的国家中，除中国和土耳其外，其余大多为发达国家；从地理分布来看，亚洲地区的中国、日本和韩国位列其中。在该研究领域，美国处于绝对的领先地位，发文量高达87篇，遥遥领先其他国家，美国的发文量近乎是排名第二的土耳其的3倍，并且作为最早开展该领域研究的国家在该领域的影响力首屈一指。土耳其在发文量方面表现尚可，但在被引次数和平均引文量方面尚存在较大提升空间。中国虽发文量位居第三，但平均引文量却处于最低水平，这表示中国在该领域的研究成果在引用层面相对不足，可能在研究质量、创新性及成果传播范围等方面存在一定的改进"

2.5 梨状肌综合征领域发文期刊分析由图7A可以发现，《Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy》的节点最大，表明该期刊文献被引用率最高，此期刊的文章代表了该领域的研究方向，其高被引文献反映了学术影响力，说明研究成果取得了国际认可。结合表3来看，发文量最大的15个期刊中排名第一的是《Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy》，共发表了10篇文献，总被引次数为237，平均被引用23.7次；排名第10的《American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation》虽然发文量不多，但文献平均引用频次却达到了70次，明显超过了其他期刊。从2023年最新的影响因子分析，《Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine》影响因子最高，为5.1。综合来看，《Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation》发文量排名第二，总被引次数达到了最高(356次)，平均被引次数达到了50.9次，影响因子(2023年)为3.6，仅次于《Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine》和《European Radiology》，由此可见《Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation》在梨状肌综合征领域有较大的影响力。梨状肌综合征属于肌肉骨骼和康复领域相关的疾病，而《Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation》专注于物理医学与康复，所以在该领域的研究成果很可能是前沿和可靠的，能为梨状肌综合征的诊断、治疗和康复提供有价值的参考。利用CiteSpace对238篇文献进行期刊双图叠加分析，如图7B所示，左图的标签代表被引用论文发表期刊的学科，其中主要来自数学、毒理学、生态学、分子生物学、物理学、心理学、运动康复学等学科相关的期刊；右图的标签代表施引论文发表期刊的学科，大部分发表于计算机、毒理学、心理学、护理学、运动康复学、医学、神经学相关学科的期刊上。 2.6 梨状肌综合征领域高影响力论文图8描绘了梨状肌综合征领域前25篇最强爆发的文献。表4描绘了梨状肌综合征领域前10篇引用次数最多的文献。结合来看，梨状肌综合征领域中最有影响力的论文最近出现在2018年，Hopayian Kevork、Probst D、Wu "

YY、Park JW发表的的文献在2024年仍旧具有影响力；最强的爆发引用由 Hopayian Kevork在2018年发表在《Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol》上，爆发强度为9.6；Filler AG于2005年发表在《J Neurosurg-Spine》上的“Sciatica of nondise origin and piriformis syndrome: diagnosis by magnetic resonance neurography and interventional magnetic resonance imaging with outcome study of resulting treatment”爆发强度是8.1，在前25篇引用次数最多的文献中排名第二，被引用次数到达了205，是纳入文献中被引次数最高的，年均被引10.25次。 2.7 梨状肌综合征领域关键词分析 2.7.1 关键词共现分析使用VOSviewer对238篇文献绘制关键词共现网络图谱，见图9。在梨状肌综合征领域中共有780 个关键词，选择其中频次≥5的54个重点关键词进行可视化，关键词共现生成的网络分为5个聚类，分别是 #1 诊断(红色)、#2 坐骨神经痛(蓝色)、#3疼痛(黄色)、#4 髋部(紫色)、#5 注射(绿色)。主要聚类及其包含的关键词如表5所示。为了更清晰地了解关键词具体情况，在去除与检索策略相关的检索词并合并同义关键词后，根据普莱斯定律计算得出高频关键词出现次数为9.56次，故将频次≥10的关键词制作成表6，可以看出sciatica(坐骨神经痛)、diagnosis(诊断)、pain(疼痛)、injection(注射)、mri(磁共振成像)、low-back-pain(腰痛)、botulinum toxin (肉毒杆菌毒素)、entrapment(压迫)、ultrasound(超声)、physical-therapy (物理治疗)、rehabilitation(康复)、deep gluteal syndrome(臀深综合征)等高频关键词构成了该领域的代表性术语。 2.7.2 关键词突现分析结合CiteSpace软件的突发性探测功能对关键词突现强度进行排序，形成关键词爆发图谱，通过分析关键词爆发强度和持续时间可以掌握该领域在不同时间段的研究热点，预测未来的研究方向和发展趋势。1994-2024年期间梨状肌综合征"

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