Global research trends in single-port robot-assisted kidney surgery: a bibliometric and visualization analysis

This study employs bibliometric and visualization analysis methods to explore the current status, evolutionary trajectory, and research hotspots in the field of single-port robot-assisted kidney surgery worldwide. Based on the Web of Science Core Collection database, 114 relevant core publications (including 95 original clinical studies and 19 reviews) published between 2009 and 2025 were retrieved and screened. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to conduct co-occurrence mapping and clustering analyses of data such as country of origin, institution, author, source journal, and keywords. The results show that research output in this field has generally followed an upward trend, with a marked increase in the number of relevant publications beginning in 2021 (66 articles published between 2021 and 2025), and the total number of citations reaching its peak in 2025 (513 citations). In terms of national contributions and collaboration networks, the United States led in the number of publications (61) and, together with Italy, formed the main nodes of international collaboration; South Korea ranked third, while China, Belgium, and the United Kingdom were relatively active in transnational collaboration. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation was the institution with the highest number of publications; Jihad H. Kaouk and colleagues were identified as highly productive core scholars; and the relevant findings were primarily published in mainstream journals of minimally invasive urology, such as the Journal of Endourology. Keyword clustering analysis indicates that research topics focus on disease intervention and the clinical application of specific surgical procedures, covering areas such as renal cell carcinoma, robot-assisted partial nephrectomy, kidney transplantation, and upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma; the research focus has gradually shifted from early explorations of platform feasibility and safety to clinical controlled studies using propensity score matching; Currently, the focus has further shifted toward the clinical expansion of specific patient positions and surgical approaches, as well as the optimization of surgical techniques and prognostic outcomes. Co-citation and co-authorship analyses suggest that progress in this field is significantly influenced by a small number of core scholars and their highly cited publications. This study objectively illustrates the development landscape and thematic shifts in single-port robot-assisted kidney surgery worldwide, providing a data reference for future clinical practice and cross-regional collaboration.