To identify, characterize, and visualize trends among the top 100 most-cited articles on EBL in the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding, with a focus on esophageal varices, using a comprehensive bibliometric approach.

A systematic search was conducted in the Scopus database on April 11, 2025, using predefined keywords related to EBL and gastrointestinal bleeding. Only English-language review and original research articles were included. Data such as citation count, author affiliations, country of origin, journal, and keywords were extracted. Analysis and visualizations were performed using the Bibliometrix R-package and VOSviewer.

Out of 1,115 records screened, 100 articles were selected (71 original articles, 29 reviews), published between 1989 and 2021, and collectively cited 17,298 times (range: 43–1,046 citations). Spain, the UK, and the USA led in research output. Hospital Clínic (Spain) and Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (UK) were the most productive institutions. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Hepatology were leading journals in terms of publication count and citation impact. The most cited authors included Bosch J. and García-Pagán J.C., with strong collaborative networks visualized. Co-occurrence analysis of keywords identified key research themes and evolving trends over time.

This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the most impactful literature on EBL for esophageal variceal bleeding. It highlights key contributors, institutions, and journals, offering insights into historical progress and emerging directions in this critical area of gastroenterology.