A Bibliometric Analysis of the Top 100 Papers on Gluteal Augmentation

Abstract

Abstract Background Gluteoplasty or gluteal augmentation is a popular cosmetic procedure that is used to improve the volume, shape, and contour of the buttocks. Objectives This bibliometric analysis aims to characterize emerging research trends and to assess the methodological quality of the highest impact gluteoplasty research. Methods The 100 most-cited publications in gluteoplasty were identified on Web of Science, across all available journal years (from Inception to August 2023). Study details, including the citation count, main content focus, and outcome measures, were extracted and tabulated from each publication. Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine level of evidence (LOE) of each study was assessed. Results The 100 most-cited publications regarding gluteoplasty were cited by a total of 2375 publications. Citations per publication ranged from 5 to 176 (mean 23.75 ± 25.86), with the highest-cited study being authored by Simonacci, discussing autologous fat grafting (n = 176). Most publications were LOE 5 (n = 55), representative of the large number of case series and reports. The number of publications for LOE 1, 2, 3, and 4 was 1, 9, 13, and 22, respectively. The main content focus was “surgical technique” in 38 publications, followed by “outcomes” (n = 34) and “risk factors/prognosis” (n = 10). Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were used in 20 publications, and 33 publications reported aesthetic outcome measures. Conclusions This analysis demonstrates a need for improvement in research methodologies regarding gluteoplasty research. This advancement would be facilitated by robust, high-quality research through randomized control trials and multicenter studies, as well as the further development of validated PROMs for gluteoplasty. Level of Evidence: 2