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

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.