The top 100 most-cited articles in varicocele: a bibliometric analysis

Ahmet Halis¹, Yasar Pazir^2,*, Abdulkadir Ozmez³, Huseyin Besiroglu⁴, Mustafa Kadihasanoglu⁴
1 Department of Urology, Yedikule Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
2 Department of Urology, Antalya City Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
3 Department of Urology, Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
4 Department of Urology, Andrology Division, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
* Corresponding Author: Yasar Pazir. Email: email
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advancements in Men's Health: The Latest in Andrology, Male Infertility, and Sexual Medicine)

Canadian Journal of Urology https://doi.org/10.32604/cju.2026.077124

Received 02 December 2025; Accepted 07 April 2026; Published online 07 May 2026

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Abstract

Objective: Varicocele remains a major reversible cause of male infertility; however, the studies that have most strongly influenced clinical practice and research trends have not been systematically analyzed. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics, trends, and scientific impact of the top 100 most-cited (T100) articles on varicocele using bibliometric methods. Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in the Web of Science Core Collection database using keywords related to varicocele. Articles were ranked according to citation number, and the T100 articles were included for bibliometric evaluation. Results: The T100 articles were released between 1980 and 2017, with citation counts ranging from 91 to 683. These articles originated from 24 different countries, with the United States contributing the largest number of publications (n = 54). The Cleveland Clinic was the leading institution with 14 publications. Agarwal A. and Goldstein M. were the most prolific authors, contributing 13 and 9 articles, respectively. The articles were published across 22 journals, with the Journal of Urology publishing the highest number (n = 25; 2023 impact factor: 5.9). Conclusions: This bibliometric evaluation demonstrated that the United States has been the leading contributor to the most influential publications on varicocele in terms of authors, institutions, and overall scientific output. The majority of highly cited articles were published in prominent American journals, particularly the Journal of Urology and Fertility and Sterility. The main research focus of these highly cited studies was the relationship between varicocele and semen parameters/fertility, as well as the surgical management of varicocele and postoperative outcomes.