This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of publications and research trends in the field of digestive endoscopic tunnel technique (DETT), both in China and internationally, from 2006 to the present.

A systematic search was conducted in the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases to identify relevant literature of DETT published between January 1, 2006, and June 9, 2023. In order to analyze the hotspots of domestic and international research of DETT and to predict the future technological development, the characteristics of the included literature were extracted and analyzed using VOSviewer_1.6.18 software, which facilitated network visualization of journals, countries, institutions, authors, and keywords.

A total of 1, 333 English articles and 617 Chinese articles were included in the analysis. The number of publications in both Chinese and English has steadily increased since 2006, with a gradual decline in the past four years. Most publications were found in specialized journals in the field of endoscopy and gastroenterology.The United States, China, and Japan were the primary countries of publication, with Johns Hopkins University having the highest number of publications and Showa University having the highest number of citations per article.In terms of authors, Inoue Haruhiro had the most publications.Keyword clustering analysis revealed similar research trends in China and abroad. Peroral oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) emerged as a prominent hotspot in submucosal endoscopy technology, with the most comprehensive clusters representing various applications of the technology.Overlay visualization demonstrated that endoscopy and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) were foundational to the field, thereafter the emergence of POEM worked up to a climax. POEM-derived new techniques indicated the current and future directions of this field.

The research on DETT, both domestically and internationally, has experienced significant growth. This field has witnessed the emergence of various super minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. China has made substantial contributions to this field, with a high standard of vitality and advancement reaching international level.In the future, Chinese researchers should place emphasis on strengthening inter-regional and international collaborations.