title: Microsurgery: the top 50 classic papers in plastic surgery: a citation analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of citations that a published article has received reflects the importance of the paper in the particular area of practice. In microsurgery, thus far, which journal articles are cited most frequently is unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the characteristics of the top 50 papers in the field of microsurgery in the plastic surgery literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 50 most cited papers published in high impact plastic surgery and microsurgery journals were identified. The articles were ranked in the order of the number of citations received. These 50 classic papers were analyzed for article type, journal distribution, and geographic and institutional origin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six international journals contributed to the top 50 papers in microsurgery. The most cited paper reported on the early use of the vascularized bone graft and was cited 116 times. The top 50 papers originated from just 10 countries with the United States producing the most. The Preston and Northcote Community Hospital, Melbourne published 5 papers and this was the most productive institution in the top 50.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These papers represent many important milestones in the relatively short history of microsurgery. Furthermore, our citation analysis provides useful information to budding authors as to what makes a paper attain a "classic" status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dubin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Cormac Weekes
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Joyce
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dubin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Sean Michael
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Carroll
keywords: Bibliometrics; Classical article; Microsurgery