Publications in Plastic Surgery and Reconstruction: A Review from a Developing Country, Sudan.

BACKGROUND: Plastic and reconstructive surgery services need to be improved in developing African countries. Research and article publications from those countries are limited. This review was conducted to identify published articles from Sudan in the area of plastic and reconstructive surgery.

METHODS: This review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines were used for the preparation of this systematic review. A comprehensive systematic search was performed using PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases. Articles published in Sudan, specifically in the area of plastic and reconstructive surgery, and written in English were included in this review.

RESULTS: The total number of articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria was 23. The articles were written from 1969 to 2023. Only two articles were published in the 20th century. The most common study type was a retrospective study of eight articles, and the most common study area was Khartoum Teaching Hospital. Regarding the publishing journals, the number of subscription journals was six (30%), whereas open access was 17 (70%).

CONCLUSION: This review demonstrates the lack of articles published on plastic surgery in Sudan. Further investigation is needed to determine the challenges and problems associated with possible clarifications.