Robot-assisted surgery for degenerative lumbar spine diseases: a disease-specific bibliometric and knowledge-mapping...

Robot-assisted spine surgery has expanded from navigation-guided pedicle screw placement to broader minimally invasive and intelligent surgical workflows, but its evolution in degenerative lumbar spine diseases remains incompletely characterized. We aimed to characterize the global research landscape, intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and emerging trends in robot-assisted surgery for degenerative lumbar spine diseases. Records published from 1996 through August 6, 2026, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. After eligibility screening, 222 English-language articles and reviews were included. Bibliometric analyses using Microsoft Excel, Origin, Tableau, and CiteSpace assessed publication trends, collaboration networks, co-citation patterns, keyword clusters, temporal evolution, and citation bursts. Publication output increased substantially after 2020. China produced the largest number of publications, whereas the United States had the most prominent bridging role in the international collaboration network. Four interrelated thematic domains were identified: target pathologies, reconstructive procedures, minimally invasive surgical strategies, and robotic or intelligent enabling technologies. Research emphasis shifted from navigation and pedicle screw accuracy toward minimally invasive fusion, radiation exposure, learning curves, safety, and clinical outcomes, with more recent attention to endoscopic spine surgery, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality. Overall, research on robot-assisted surgery for degenerative lumbar spine diseases has shifted from a predominant focus on navigation and pedicle screw accuracy toward broader investigation of minimally invasive surgical workflows and emerging intelligent technologies. These bibliometric trends reflect changes in research emphasis rather than evidence of clinical superiority, and further studies are needed to determine whether these technological developments translate into durable, patient-centered, and cost-effective clinical benefits.