Fifty years of thoracic surgical research in South Africa : original article

• Published in: South African medical journal 2009-08, Vol.99 (8), p.592-595
• Main Authors: Smit, F., Van Zyl, G., Linegar, A., Goldstraw, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0256-9574; 2078-5135

Aim. To investigate the scope and trends in clinical research in South African thoracic surgery between 1955 and 2006 and to measure its impact on clinical practice. Method. A systematic review of all SA thoracic surgical publications was performed. Results. There were 252 general thoracic publications and a marked decrease in publications was noted after the peak period of productivity of the 1980s. There was a shift toward the private sector as an origin of articles and toward a local, non-indexed journal. Inflammatory lung disease was the most frequent topic of publication. Case series and case reports were the most frequent type of article. Conclusion. The vulnerability of a small specialty in a developing country is illustrated by the clear trends that emerged. The study provides important indicators for future research, highlights the need for a national database of clinical experience, and emphasises the importance of rekindling interest and a culture of research in thoracic surgery.