Intentional foraminal enlargement: a systematic review with bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review with bibliometric analysis was to map the available scientific evidence on intentional foraminal enlargement (IFE) and explore publication trends. Methods: This review is in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 Statement and is registered on the Open Science Framework. Two independent reviewers carried out a comprehensive search of seven databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, LILACS, and BBO) up to January 31 st , 2022. Studies that investigated IFE were considered eligible, and the data were analyzed using the VOSViewer software. Results: The search identified a total of 55 IFE-related articles from 10 countries and 25 journals, with an increasing trend for publications over the last decade. The majority of evidence was based on laboratory assays (65.4%), followed by randomized clinical trials (18.1%) with follow-up periods of up to 2 months. The main clinical outcome evaluated was post-operative pain. The highest number of studies were carried out by the State University of Campinas, and published in the Journal of Endodontics. Also, studies with the highest level of evidence found that IFE resulted in greater post-operative pain in the initial days post-treatment. Conclusion: This systematic review with bibliometric analysis mapped the scientific progress and publication trends in the field of IFE, thus shedding light on gaps in the literature with the aim of guiding researchers to conduct more high-impact investigations by performing clinical studies evaluating rates of periapical repair and IFE treatment success using long-term observation periods.