Robotic Surgery in Gynecologic Oncology-A Bibliometric Study

Area of Science:

• Gynecologic Oncology
• Surgical Technology
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Robotic surgery is increasingly utilized in gynecologic oncology.
• Understanding publication trends and citation impact is crucial for research advancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the landscape of robotic surgery publications in gynecologic oncology.
• To identify factors influencing citation metrics of these studies.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional bibliometric analysis of original articles on robotic surgery in gynecologic oncology.
• Searches were conducted in PubMed, analyzing publications from 2005-2023.
• Factors including country income level, tumor site, study design, and journal impact factor were assessed.

Main Results:

• 566 articles were included, with the majority (51.6%) from North America and 32.2% from Europe.
• Endometrial cancer was the most studied tumor site (57.4%). Most studies were retrospective (87.6%).
• Articles from middle-income countries had significantly lower citations per year and were published in lower-impact journals compared to high-income countries.

Conclusions:

• Robotic surgery research in gynecologic oncology is dominated by retrospective studies from high-income countries.
• Middle-income countries contribute less frequently and their publications face citation challenges.
• Journal impact factor, focus on cervical cancer, and North American origin were associated with higher citation counts.