Current status analysis of novel wound dressings in wound healing: a bibliometric study based on CiteSpace

Purpose This study utilized CiteSpace to conduct a visual analysis of research on novel wound dressings within the context of wound healing. The aim was to elucidate the current status, key research trends, and potential future directions in this field, providing insights to guide innovation and development of advanced wound care strategies. Patients and methods English-language articles indexed in the SCI-EXPANDED database of the Web of Science Core Collection, published from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2025, were retrieved. Visual analyses were performed using CiteSpace, examining authorship, institutions, countries/regions, keywords, research categories, cited authors, and cited journals. Results A total of 6612 publications were included. Annual publication output showed a steady increase, with accelerated growth in recent years. Guo baolin emerged as a prominent contributor. Collaboration networks revealed strong partnerships within domestic and international groups, yet cross-team and inter-institutional collaborations were limited. Leading research institutions included the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sichuan University, and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The results of the keyword co-occurrence and emergence analysis show that research has primarily focused on the antimicrobial effects of novel wound dressings and the development of smart combined drug delivery systems to improve drug delivery efficiency. Co-citation analysis highlighted the central roles of novel hydrogel dressings, electrospun nanofiber dressings, and silver nanoparticle-based dressings in facilitating wound repair. Conclusion Research on novel wound dressings continues to expand, with increasing emphasis on multi-target modulation, intelligent drug delivery, and optimization of the wound microenvironment. Nonetheless, challenges remain in cost control, clinical translation, mechanistic studies, and innovation. Addressing these areas could advance the development of more effective strategies for accelerating wound healing.