Bibliometric analysis OBJECTIVE: Thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (TOPLL) was a rare but intractable disease, and was the second leading cause of thoracic myelopathy. This study aimed to illustrate the overall knowledge structure, and development trends of TOPLL, using a bibliometric analysis and newly developed visualization tools.Research datasets were acquired from the Web of Science. The literature search was also limited to articles that were published until Oct 30, 2021. VOS viewer and Citespace software was provided to analyze the data and generate visualization knowledge maps. Annual trend of publications, distribution, H-Index status, co-authorship status and research hotspots were analyzed.206 publications met the requirement. Japan published most papers (92), both total citations (1574) and H-index (24) ranked first of all the countries. The most productive organizations were Peking University (22). The most productive authors were Yamazaki M (18). The most productive journals were Spine (33). Diagnosis and treatment on the accuracy of surgical segments, prognosis of patients, and gene research were the research hotspots in the recent years.The study showed an upward trend with a stable rise in recent years. Japan is country with the highest productivity, not only in quality, but also in quantity. Peking University and Spine have been the largest contributor. Indeed, this study provides great insights to the growth and development of TOPLL. Moreover, it will contribute to the growth of the international frontier.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.