title: Use of nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair: A Web of Science-based literature analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify global research trends in the use of nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Numerous basic and clinical studies on nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair were performed between 2002-2011. We performed a bibliometric analysis of the institutions, authors, and hot topics in the field, from the Web of Science, using the key words peripheral nerve and conduit or tube.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  peer-reviewed published articles on nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair, indexed in the Web of Science; original research articles, reviews, meeting abstracts, proceedings papers, book chapters, editorial material, and news items.
  
  
  METHODS
  articles requiring manual searching or telephone access; documents not published in the public domain; and several corrected papers.
  
  
  METHODS
  (a) Annual publication output; (b) publication type; (c) publication by research field; (d) publication by journal; (e) publication by funding agency; (f) publication by author; (g) publication by country and institution; (h) publications by institution in China; (i) most-cited papers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 793 publications on the use of nerve conduits for peripheral nerve injury repair were retrieved from the Web of Science between 2002-2011. The number of publications gradually increased over the 10-year study period. Articles constituted the main type of publication. The most prolific journals were Biomaterials, Microsurgery, and Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A. The National Natural Science Foundation of China supported 27 papers, more than any other funding agency. Of the 793 publications, almost half came from American and Chinese authors and institutions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nerve conduits have been studied extensively for peripheral nerve regeneration; however, many problems remain in this field, which are difficult for researchers to reach a consensus.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Second People's Hospital of Panjin, Panjin 124000, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Jinniang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Second People's Hospital of Panjin, Panjin 124000, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xuguang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Second People's Hospital of Panjin, Panjin 124000, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Hongxiu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Second People's Hospital of Panjin, Panjin 124000, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiaonong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Second People's Hospital of Panjin, Panjin 124000, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Renjing
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Piao
keywords: axon; biocompatibility; biomaterial; degradation; extracellular matrix; nerve conduit; neural regeneration; neurotrophic factor; peripheral nerve injury; peripheral nerve repair; stem cell