Intracorporeal urinary diversion during robot-assisted radical cystectomy: a bibliometric and visualization analysis...

Intracorporeal urinary diversion (ICUD) represents an important technical milestone in the transition of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) toward a completely minimally invasive surgical pathway. However, the evolution of research activity, collaborative structure, and emerging themes within this area has not yet been fully delineated. Therefore, the present study aimed to map the knowledge landscape of ICUD during RARC. Relevant publications were identified from the Web of Science Core Collection, with all available editions selected, and the search was conducted on July 1, 2026. English-language Articles and Reviews officially published between 2010 and 2025 were independently screened to determine their thematic eligibility. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using an abbreviation-free search strategy and more restrictive visualization thresholds. Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and SCImago Graphica were used to characterize publication patterns, national and institutional contributions, author and journal profiles, influential references, and temporal changes in keyword-based research themes. Overall, 250 records were included in the final analysis, including 212 Articles and 38 Review Articles. The annual number of publications showed a general upward trend, rising from 2 publications in 2010 to 34 publications in 2025, with a peak of 36 in 2021. The United States maintained the leading cumulative publication trajectory and received the highest total citation count (2,139). Karolinska Institutet was the most productive institution (43 publications), Giuseppe Simone ranked as the leading author in terms of productivity (23 publications), and BJU International was identified as the leading source journal (25 publications). The co-citation and keyword analyses revealed an evolutionary shift from initial feasibility studies and technical descriptions toward research on diversion types, perioperative outcomes, enhanced recovery, learning curves, and comparative effectiveness. Recent burst terms, including "randomised controlled trial," "mortality," "survival," and "morbidity," suggested increasing attention to comparative evaluation and clinically meaningful outcomes, although burst-term findings reflect changes in keyword usage rather than direct evidence of improved study quality. Sensitivity analyses using an abbreviation-free search strategy and more restrictive visualization thresholds showed broadly consistent thematic and source-level patterns. Research on ICUD during RARC has expanded from technical exploration toward increasing attention to procedural standardization, learning curves, comparative evaluation, and clinically meaningful outcomes. Nevertheless, these bibliometric patterns should be interpreted as indicators of research attention rather than direct evidence that surgical standardization has been achieved or that clinical outcomes have improved. The evidence base remains heterogeneous and concentrated in experienced centers. Further multicenter prospective studies with standardized reporting and longer follow-up are needed to clarify the implementation strategy and long-term clinical value of ICUD.