The current bibliometric study is designed to analyse the bibliometric studies in healthcare specific to South Asian countries. Bibliometric and thematic analysis was performed on 85 screened documents and author keywords respectively from Scopus. The current study covered the timespan from 2013 to 2023. Results are classified into three broad themes i.e., bibliometric, healthcare, and technological mapping. These three themes are grouped with the relevant sub-themes. Findings reveal the publication output trend, prominent authors, subject areas, journals, and affiliated institutions. Important and conspicuous words (author keywords) are visualized in bibliometric maps showing the noticeable themes for future research directions such as machine learning, blockchain, deep learning, and scientometrics in the area of healthcare. This study guides the researchers who are involved in conducting bibliometric studies specifically in healthcare. It serves as a compilation of published bibliometric studies through which different uncovered and underexplored aspects of healthcare research have emerged.

Penile emergencies are uncommon and can be categorized as having infectious, vascular, traumatic, or multifactorial etiologies. To facilitate early diagnosis and treatment during emergency, US and color Doppler imaging are imperative. US depicts hypoechoic collections regardless of the presence of air foci in infections like abscess and Fournier’s gangrene.Color Doppler imaging is conducted to evaluate vascular conditions such as penile Mondor disease (PMD) and priapism. PMD is indicated by the absence of color flow and non-compressibility of dorsal penile vein. Priapism can be categorized based on cavernosal artery flow: high flow and low flow. In traumatic injuries like penile fracture, US reveals breach in tunica albuginea with hematoma. Peyronie’s disease can be multifactorial in origin and the imaging is commonly visualized as thickening of the tunica albuginea and echogenic calcified plaques. Urethral injuries are urethral discontinuity with adjacent collection. Urethral calculus is visualized as echogenic focus with posterior acoustic shadowing. Therefore, effective collaboration between radiologists and urologists is required for appropriate initial diagnosis and prompt treatment.

Purpose: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers globally, with an increasing incidence rate. It is a heterogeneous disease, and early metastasis remains a challenge. Tumor budding, defined as single tumor cells or small clusters at the invasive front, has been suggested as a prognostic marker in various cancers, including breast cancer. This study aims to evaluate tumor budding in invasive breast carcinoma using the International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference (ITBCC) scoring system and explore its association with pathological characteristics and prognosis. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 100 mastectomy specimens of histopathologically confirmed invasive breast carcinoma, excluding cases that underwent chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Tumor budding was classified as low, intermediate, or high based on the ITBCC scoring method, and associations with clinicopathological features were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Tumor budding was classified as high in 52% of cases. A significant association was found between high tumor budding and higher tumor grade (P<0.001), negative estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status (P<0.001), positive HER2neu status (P=0.003), and high Ki-67 levels (P<0.001). High tumor budding was also linked to higher T stage, and dermal lymphovascular invasion (P=0.001). Our findings support previous studies showing that high tumor budding is associated with poor prognostic factors such as higher tumor grade, negative hormone receptor status, and higher T stage. Conclusion Tumor budding is a potential prognostic marker in breast cancer, associated with more aggressive tumor characteristics.

Background/Aims: Self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) are an alternative to emergency surgery (ES) for malignant colorectal obstruction. This study aimed to compare surgical outcomes between SEMS as a bridge to surgery (BTS) and ES in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction. Methods: A comprehensive database search was conducted until October 2023 to compare outcomes between SEMS as a BTS and ES. A subgroup analysis of results by malignancy site was performed. Results: We analyzed 57 studies, including 7,223 patients over a mean duration of 35.4 months. SEMS as a BTS showed clinical and technical success rates of 88.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 86.1%–90.1%; I2=68%) and 91.6% (95% CI, 89.7%–93.7%; I2=66%), respectively. SEMS as a BTS revealed reduced postoperative adverse events (odds ratio [OR], 0.51; 95% CI, 0.41–0.63; I2=70%; p<0.001) and 30-day mortality (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.37–0.72; I2=10%; p<0.001) compared to ES. Subgroup analysis showed postoperative mortality of 5% and 1.5% for left- and right-sided malignancies, respectively. Adverse events were 15% and 33% for the right and left colon, respectively. Conclusions SEMS as a BTS demonstrated a higher success rate, fewer postoperative adverse events, and a reduced 30-day mortality rate than ES, supporting its use as the preferred initial intervention for right- and left-sided obstructions and indicating broader clinical adoption.

Background/Aims: The irregular Z-line, defined as a segment of columnar mucosa less than 1 cm in the distal esophagus, is often biopsied despite guidelines advising against it due to a low risk of progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). However, the clinical significance of an irregular Z-line remains unclear. This meta-analysis examines the prevalence of Barrett’s esophagus, dysplasia, and EAC in patients with an irregular Z-line. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, and Scopus databases up to October 2023 for studies on the prevalence of Barrett’s esophagus, dysplasia, and EAC in these patients. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis, and heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics. Results: Nine studies involving 17,637 patients were analyzed. Among those with an irregular Z-line, the prevalence of intestinal metaplasia was 29.4%. In patients with intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia was found in 6.2%, low-grade dysplasia in 5.9%, high-grade dysplasia in 1.6%, and EAC in 1.5%. These rates were higher compared to those without intestinal metaplasia. Conclusions Patients with an irregular Z-line and intestinal metaplasia may be at higher risk and could benefit from endoscopic surveillance. Further studies are needed to determine the necessity of biopsying irregular Z-lines.

Purpose: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers globally, with an increasing incidence rate. It is a heterogeneous disease, and early metastasis remains a challenge. Tumor budding, defined as single tumor cells or small clusters at the invasive front, has been suggested as a prognostic marker in various cancers, including breast cancer. This study aims to evaluate tumor budding in invasive breast carcinoma using the International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference (ITBCC) scoring system and explore its association with pathological characteristics and prognosis. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 100 mastectomy specimens of histopathologically confirmed invasive breast carcinoma, excluding cases that underwent chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Tumor budding was classified as low, intermediate, or high based on the ITBCC scoring method, and associations with clinicopathological features were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Tumor budding was classified as high in 52% of cases. A significant association was found between high tumor budding and higher tumor grade (P<0.001), negative estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status (P<0.001), positive HER2neu status (P=0.003), and high Ki-67 levels (P<0.001). High tumor budding was also linked to higher T stage, and dermal lymphovascular invasion (P=0.001). Our findings support previous studies showing that high tumor budding is associated with poor prognostic factors such as higher tumor grade, negative hormone receptor status, and higher T stage. Conclusion Tumor budding is a potential prognostic marker in breast cancer, associated with more aggressive tumor characteristics.

Penile emergencies are uncommon and can be categorized as having infectious, vascular, traumatic, or multifactorial etiologies. To facilitate early diagnosis and treatment during emergency, US and color Doppler imaging are imperative. US depicts hypoechoic collections regardless of the presence of air foci in infections like abscess and Fournier’s gangrene.Color Doppler imaging is conducted to evaluate vascular conditions such as penile Mondor disease (PMD) and priapism. PMD is indicated by the absence of color flow and non-compressibility of dorsal penile vein. Priapism can be categorized based on cavernosal artery flow: high flow and low flow. In traumatic injuries like penile fracture, US reveals breach in tunica albuginea with hematoma. Peyronie’s disease can be multifactorial in origin and the imaging is commonly visualized as thickening of the tunica albuginea and echogenic calcified plaques. Urethral injuries are urethral discontinuity with adjacent collection. Urethral calculus is visualized as echogenic focus with posterior acoustic shadowing. Therefore, effective collaboration between radiologists and urologists is required for appropriate initial diagnosis and prompt treatment.

Background/Aims: Self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) are an alternative to emergency surgery (ES) for malignant colorectal obstruction. This study aimed to compare surgical outcomes between SEMS as a bridge to surgery (BTS) and ES in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction. Methods: A comprehensive database search was conducted until October 2023 to compare outcomes between SEMS as a BTS and ES. A subgroup analysis of results by malignancy site was performed. Results: We analyzed 57 studies, including 7,223 patients over a mean duration of 35.4 months. SEMS as a BTS showed clinical and technical success rates of 88.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 86.1%–90.1%; I2=68%) and 91.6% (95% CI, 89.7%–93.7%; I2=66%), respectively. SEMS as a BTS revealed reduced postoperative adverse events (odds ratio [OR], 0.51; 95% CI, 0.41–0.63; I2=70%; p<0.001) and 30-day mortality (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.37–0.72; I2=10%; p<0.001) compared to ES. Subgroup analysis showed postoperative mortality of 5% and 1.5% for left- and right-sided malignancies, respectively. Adverse events were 15% and 33% for the right and left colon, respectively. Conclusions SEMS as a BTS demonstrated a higher success rate, fewer postoperative adverse events, and a reduced 30-day mortality rate than ES, supporting its use as the preferred initial intervention for right- and left-sided obstructions and indicating broader clinical adoption.

Background/Aims: The irregular Z-line, defined as a segment of columnar mucosa less than 1 cm in the distal esophagus, is often biopsied despite guidelines advising against it due to a low risk of progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). However, the clinical significance of an irregular Z-line remains unclear. This meta-analysis examines the prevalence of Barrett’s esophagus, dysplasia, and EAC in patients with an irregular Z-line. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, and Scopus databases up to October 2023 for studies on the prevalence of Barrett’s esophagus, dysplasia, and EAC in these patients. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis, and heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics. Results: Nine studies involving 17,637 patients were analyzed. Among those with an irregular Z-line, the prevalence of intestinal metaplasia was 29.4%. In patients with intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia was found in 6.2%, low-grade dysplasia in 5.9%, high-grade dysplasia in 1.6%, and EAC in 1.5%. These rates were higher compared to those without intestinal metaplasia. Conclusions Patients with an irregular Z-line and intestinal metaplasia may be at higher risk and could benefit from endoscopic surveillance. Further studies are needed to determine the necessity of biopsying irregular Z-lines.

Purpose: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers globally, with an increasing incidence rate. It is a heterogeneous disease, and early metastasis remains a challenge. Tumor budding, defined as single tumor cells or small clusters at the invasive front, has been suggested as a prognostic marker in various cancers, including breast cancer. This study aims to evaluate tumor budding in invasive breast carcinoma using the International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference (ITBCC) scoring system and explore its association with pathological characteristics and prognosis. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 100 mastectomy specimens of histopathologically confirmed invasive breast carcinoma, excluding cases that underwent chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Tumor budding was classified as low, intermediate, or high based on the ITBCC scoring method, and associations with clinicopathological features were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Tumor budding was classified as high in 52% of cases. A significant association was found between high tumor budding and higher tumor grade (P<0.001), negative estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status (P<0.001), positive HER2neu status (P=0.003), and high Ki-67 levels (P<0.001). High tumor budding was also linked to higher T stage, and dermal lymphovascular invasion (P=0.001). Our findings support previous studies showing that high tumor budding is associated with poor prognostic factors such as higher tumor grade, negative hormone receptor status, and higher T stage. Conclusion Tumor budding is a potential prognostic marker in breast cancer, associated with more aggressive tumor characteristics.