Bibliometric Analysis of Patient-Controlled Intravenous Analgesia Research From 2014 to April 2026: Global Trends, Hotspot Evolution, and Future Directions.

BACKGROUND: Patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) remains a cornerstone in managing moderate to severe postoperative pain. The shift toward multimodal analgesia, opioid-sparing protocols, and enhanced recovery after surgery has steadily broadened the scope of PCIA-related investigation. Despite this growth, a clear synthesis of the global research landscape, underlying knowledge structure, and the trajectory of emerging themes is still lacking. METHODS: The Web of Science Core Collection was searched for English-language original articles and reviews on PCIA published between January 1, 2014, and April 6, 2026. Bibliometric and visualization analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Bibliometrix, and SCImago Graphica to examine publication trends, contributing countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and cocited references. RESULTS: The full dataset retrieved through April 6, 2026, included 492 publications involving 33 countries/regions, 607 institutions, and 2675 authors. In the analysis of complete publication years from 2014 to 2025, PCIA-related research showed a fluctuating but overall upward trend. China, South Korea, and the United States emerged as the leading contributors. Although China produced the largest volume of publications, the United States held a more central position within the international collaboration network. The most prolific journals were Medicine, BMC Anesthesiology, and Journal of Pain Research. Research hotspots have progressively moved beyond opioid analgesia and efficacy evaluation to multimodal analgesia, opioid-sparing strategies, safety optimization, integration with regional blocks, procedure-specific analgesia, and patient-centered outcomes. CONCLUSION: This study delineates the global scientific landscape and the evolution of research hotspots in PCIA, providing bibliometric evidence to inform future study design, strengthen cross-regional collaboration, and shape individualized perioperative analgesic strategies.