Global trends and research landscape of robotic surgery in plastic and reconstructive surgery: a bibliometric analysis (1999-2025)

Robotic surgery has emerged in plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS) over the past two decades, enabling minimally invasive approaches. This study aims to provide a detailed bibliometric analysis of global research on robotic surgery in PRS. The objectives are to (1) characterize the evolution of scientific output, (2) identify influential journals, authors, and institutions, (3) analyze patterns of authorship and collaboration, and (4) map the distribution of research across clinical topics. Screening of articles was done across four databases. Selected articles were analyzed using Biblioshiny, and VOSviewer. Analyses included descriptive bibliometrics, authorship and collaboration metrics, source analysis, institutional and geographical mapping, and thematic keyword analysis. From 1999 to mid-2025, 594 publications from 193 sources were identified in robotic surgery within PRS. The United States led in both productivity and citation impact (222 documents, 4,362 citations), followed by China and South Korea, with Switzerland showing high citation efficiency relative to output. Yonsei University, and MD Anderson Cancer Center were the most productive institutions, while MD Anderson and Johns Hopkins demonstrated the highest influence per publication. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was the leading journal in both volume and impact. Author analysis identified Jesse C. Selber as the most cited contributor. The most influential studies primarily addressed robotic breast reconstruction, and microsurgery. Robotic surgery within PRS has evolved from technical reports to clinical outcomes. The steady rise in global publications and the diversification of contributing countries and institutions highlight growing acceptance of robotic platforms in PRS.