Global research trends and thematic evolution in robotic microsurgery and supermicrosurgery: a bibliometric and...

Robotic microsurgery and supermicrosurgery have emerged as important extensions of precision surgery, with applications in reconstructive surgery, lymphatic surgery, urology-andrology, peripheral nerve repair, and surgical robotics. However, the development, contributor structure, citation patterns, and thematic changes of this interdisciplinary literature remain incompletely defined. We therefore aimed to map publication trends, major contributors, citation structures, research hotspots, and emerging directions in robotic microsurgery and supermicrosurgery using literature indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Publications on robotic microsurgery and supermicrosurgery recorded in WoSCC between 1 January 2000 and 28 February 2026 were identified. English-language original articles and reviews indexed in SCIE or SSCI were eligible for inclusion. Bibliometric and visualisation analyses were conducted with Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Scimago Graphica to assess annual publication output, citation patterns, country- and institution-level contributions, author and journal networks, reference co-citation relationships, keyword co-occurrence, burst keywords, and thematic evolution. The analysis included 145 publications, consisting of 117 original articles and 28 review articles. Publication activity was limited before 2010, increased progressively in subsequent years, and accelerated markedly after 2023, with annual output peaking in 2025. The United States was consistently the leading contributor, whereas Germany and China showed rapid recent growth. Research output was concentrated in several specialised centres, particularly Zurich-related institutions, the University of Munster, CHU Strasbourg, and Maastricht University. Journal of Robotic Surgery was the most productive journal, whereas Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery had the highest local citation count. Keyword and co-citation analyses suggested a shift in research attention within WoSCC-indexed literature from early feasibility testing, microsurgical training, and male infertility-related procedures toward broader reconstructive, lymphatic, image-guided, and platform-driven applications. Recent hotspots included robot-assisted reconstructive microsurgery, lymphatic supermicrosurgery, lymphovenous anastomosis, preventive lymphatic reconstruction, microsurgical flap reconstruction, and robotic microsurgical platforms. This WoSCC-based bibliometric and visualisation analysis shows that the literature on robotic microsurgery and supermicrosurgery has expanded rapidly in recent years, although publication activity remains concentrated in specialised centres and selected research groups. The indexed literature suggests increasing research attention to reconstructive, lymphatic, image-guided, and platform-driven applications. However, these bibliometric findings do not establish clinical adoption, effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness, or superiority over conventional microsurgery. Future multicentre studies with standardised outcome measures, learning-curve assessment, long-term follow-up, cost-effectiveness evaluation, and direct clinical comparisons are needed to clarify the practical value of robotic assistance.