Mehmet Nuri DURAN, Abdurrahman SENGİ
The Injector - 2026;5(1):1-14
Objective: Deep endometriosis is a clinically complex phenotype associated with chronic pelvic pain, infertility, bowel and urinary tract involvement, and multidisciplinary care. Although the literature on this phenotype has expanded rapidly, its global research structure and thematic evolution have not been comprehensively mapped. Methods: We conducted a bibliometric and science-mapping analysis of records retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection on 5 January 2026. The topic query was TS=("deep infiltrating endometriosis" OR "deep infiltrative endometriosis" OR "deep endometriosis"). The search covered the complete calendar years 2000-2025; 2026 was excluded to avoid partial-year bias. No eligible publication was identified for 2000; therefore, the included publications covered the period 2001-2025. Document types were limited to Article and Review Article, with no language restriction. Full records and cited references were analyzed using Web of Science Analyze Results, VOSviewer 1.6.21, and Python. Results: The database search returned 2,448 records published between 2001 and 2025. Annual output rose overall from 6 records in 2001 to 219 in 2025 and peaked in 2024 with 243 records. Articles accounted for 2,008 records (82.0%) and review articles for 440 (18.0%). Italy and France had the highest publication counts, while Roman H and Chapron C were the most prolific authors. Network analyses identified overlapping domains involving imaging and diagnosis; surgical management; fertility, pain, and quality-of-life outcomes; and translational research on inflammation, fibrosis, biomarkers, and molecular mechanisms. Conclusion: Deep endometriosis research encompasses interconnected themes involving imaging, surgical management, fertility, pain, quality of life, and translational biology. Future progress will depend on stronger international collaboration, harmonized outcome reporting, and long-term prospective datasets.
