Robotic surgery research from Pakistan: a concerningly low academic footprint

This study aimed to evaluate the scholarly research output of Pakistan in the field of robotic surgery, using publication trends and citation performance as indicators of research progress. In July 2025, data were retrieved from the Scopus database, focusing on articles and reviews. Two approaches were used: (1) a broad string-based search for robotic surgery-related literature and (2) a journal-specific search in five robotic surgery-focused journals (Journal of Robotic Surgery, International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery, Robotica, Science Robotics, and Laparoscopic Endoscopic and Robotic Surgery). Publications were analyzed by collaboration type (with and without international collaboration). Using the broad search, 49,329 global publications were identified, with 93 collaborative (0.188%) and 45 non-collaborative (0.09%) publications from Pakistan. In the journal-specific search, 6340 global publications were identified, including 16 collaborative (0.25%) and 6 non-collaborative (0.09%) publications from Pakistan. Collaborative outputs were concentrated in the Journal of Robotic Surgery (10 articles) and Robotica (3 articles). Publication activity increased notably in recent years, with the highest number recorded in 2024 (36 publications) for the broad search and 2025 (5 publications) for the journal-specific search. Pakistan's contribution to robotic surgery research remains limited, with a small number of institutions driving collaborative output. Systematic strategies to enhance national research capacity in this field are urgently needed.