Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Research: A Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis of the Web of Science Core Collection.

Negative pressure wound therapy, often called vacuum-assisted healing, is a widely used treatment for difficult wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers. It works by placing a sealed foam dressing over the wound and applying gentle suction, which removes excess fluid and helps new tissue grow. Although doctors have used this therapy for decades, no one had mapped how the research behind it has grown, who is collaborating, and which topics are gaining attention. This study analyzed 4,063 scientific articles and reviews about negative pressure wound therapy, selected from 5,957 records in a major research database. The researchers used special software to track publication trends, collaborations between countries and institutions, and common keywords over time. They found that research output increased sharply after 2004, with the United States and China producing the most studies, while European and U.S. institutions were central in collaboration networks. The main focus of research shifted from basic mechanisms like pressure and blood flow toward practical topics such as wound dressings, surgical-site infections, diabetic foot ulcers, and treatment effectiveness. This matters because it shows that diabetic foot ulcers are now a top priority in wound-care research, and it highlights the need for more large, multi-center clinical trials and international teamwork. A key limitation is that this was a bibliometric analysis, meaning it studied patterns in publications rather than measuring how well the treatment actually works in patients; it also only included articles from one database, so some research may have been missed.