The evolution of research on robot-assisted bladder diverticulectomy

Robot-assisted bladder diverticulectomy (RABD) has become an established minimally invasive option for the surgical management of bladder diverticula. Despite its expanding role in clinical practice, the scientific development of RABD has not been comprehensively investigated. To our knowledge, this study provides the first bibliometric assessment of the field. The literature search was performed in the Web of Science Core Collection according to a predefined search strategy. After excluding publications from 2026 and document types other than articles and reviews, 49 publications (43 articles and 6 reviews) were included in the final bibliometric analysis. Biblioshiny and VOSviewer were used to evaluate publication trends, leading journals, institutions, countries, collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence, thematic evolution, and reference co-citation patterns. Research activity expanded throughout the study period, with the greatest publication output observed in 2025. The largest share of publications appeared in Journal of Robotic Surgery, whereas Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute produced the highest institutional output. The United States had the highest author-affiliation-based country contribution count, citation impact, and corresponding authorship. Keyword analysis identified robot-assisted surgery and bladder diverticulum as the dominant research topics, whereas thematic mapping revealed the principal research domains and reference co-citation analysis identified the intellectual foundation of the field. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric overview of RABD, highlighting current research trends, collaboration patterns, knowledge gaps, and potential priorities for future research.