Research evolution and evidence-generation priorities in robot-assisted living donor nephrectomy: a bibliometric and...

Robot-assisted living donor nephrectomy is a minimally invasive alternative to conventional laparoscopic procurement, yet the evolution and knowledge structure of its research field have not been comprehensively mapped. We performed a bibliometric and knowledge-mapping analysis of English-language Articles and Review Articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection; the included literature spanned 2001-2026. Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and OriginPro were used to assess publication and citation trends, contributors, collaboration networks, journals, influential publications, and topic evolution. Among 107 publications (81 Articles and 26 Review Articles), output remained limited early on, became more consistent after 2012, and increased markedly after 2021, peaking in 2024. The United States led research activity, with Italy as the principal European hub. Country collaboration centered on a limited set of partnerships, while institutional networks were fragmented. The knowledge base was anchored in transplantation-focused sources, although publications were distributed across transplantation, urology, endourology, and minimally invasive surgery journals. Keyword analyses showed a progression from technical feasibility, anatomical complexity, and perioperative safety toward procedure-specific robotic applications and donor-centered outcomes. Robot-assisted living donor nephrectomy research has entered a more active phase of clinical investigation, but increasing publication activity does not itself demonstrate stronger evidence, clinical maturity, or universal superiority over laparoscopy. Multicenter, implementation-aware comparisons using standardized donor, graft-preservation, recipient, learning-curve, and economic outcomes are needed to define the settings in which robotic procurement provides meaningful value.