Alarplasty: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Top 50 Cited Articles in Alar Base Reduction Techniques.

Abstract

Background: Alarplasty, or alar base reduction, narrows the alar base and reduces nasal flaring. It is a rhinoplasty technique that has gained popularity in the last decade. This study evaluates the most cited articles, analyzes global trends in alarplasty research, and explores future directions through a bibliometric analysis.

Materials and methods: Using the Web of Science Sci-Expanded Index, all articles related to alarplasty were retrieved. The top 50 articles were determined by three independent reviewers. Citation count, corresponding author, institution, journal, country, publication year, and level of evidence were evaluated.

Results: Since 1970, the top 50 cited articles on alarplasty were cited 794 times, with an average citation count of 15 and highest number of citations of 96 in the year 2023. The USA contributed the most articles (24 articles), followed by Canada (7), and Egypt (4). The majority of articles were case series (80%), and based on the "Level of Evidence Pyramid," 38 articles were level IV, 5 articles were level V, 4 articles were level III, and 3 articles were level II.

Conclusion: The top 50 cited articles were mostly case series with variable levels of evidence. However, low level of evidence is expected for surgical procedures, and this bibliometric analysis may help rhinoplasty surgeons understand landmark studies and learn about the surgical techniques available for alar base reconstruction.

Level of evidence v: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .