The 100 most influential manuscripts in robotic surgery: a bibliometric analysis

Area of Science:

• Robotics in Medicine
• Surgical Technology
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Robotic-assisted surgery has seen a steady increase in annual procedures since its inception in 1985.
• Bibliometric analysis is a valuable tool for identifying influential studies and tracking the evolution of a scientific field.
• Understanding the impact of key publications is crucial for appreciating the development of robotic surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most cited manuscripts on robotic surgery.
• To identify influential studies and discuss their content and impact on the evolution of robotic surgery platforms.
• To analyze trends in publication, surgical specialty, and institutional contributions.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search was performed using terms 'robotic surgery,' 'robot assisted surgery,' and 'robot-assisted surgery' in the Thomson Reuters Web of Science database.
• The top 100 most cited full-length, English-language manuscripts were selected for analysis.
• Data extracted included manuscript type, surgical specialty, authors, institutions, publication year, and journal. Analysis focused on citation counts and publication trends.

Main Results:

• The analysis identified 14,980 relevant manuscripts, with the top 100 most cited papers forming the basis of the study.
• Urological surgery (28%) was the most represented specialty, followed by colorectal surgery (13%). Case series/reports constituted the majority of manuscript types (42%).
• The most cited paper focused on technological advances. The year 2009 and the USA were leading in publications. The Johns Hopkins University led in institutional contributions.

Conclusions:

• The 100 most cited manuscripts demonstrate the progression of robotic surgery from basic platforms to sophisticated 3D articulated instruments.
• Robotic-assisted surgery has achieved significant acceptance across diverse surgical fields, including urology, colorectal, general, cardiothoracic, orthopedic, maxillofacial, and neurosurgery.
• This bibliometric review highlights the key research shaping the current landscape and future trajectory of robotic surgery.