Global trends and hotspots in robot-assisted gastrointestinal endoscopy: a bibliometric and visualization analysis

Robot-assisted gastrointestinal endoscopy represents an emerging frontier that extends robotic assistance from the abdominal cavity to the organ lumen; however, this field lacks comprehensive bibliometric mapping at a global level. We analyzed 886 articles published between 1999 and 2026 (2026 data are partial) and indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection using established bibliometric and visualization tools, and assessed author impact using composite bibliometric indices. Research activity progressed through three distinct phases: germination (1999-2010), growth (2011-2018), and rapid development (2019-2025). China led global output, whereas Italy achieved the highest per-article citation impact. The therapeutic share increased to 40.6% in the latest phase, yielding a therapeutic-to-diagnostic ratio of 1.19 and indicating a shift in research activity toward therapeutic interventions. Co-citation analysis revealed a maturing intellectual structure shifting from diagnostic platforms to therapeutic endoscopy and the integration of artificial intelligence, with permanent-magnet-driven systems, robot-assisted endoscopic submucosal dissection, and emerging endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound platforms representing the current frontiers. A dual-hub pattern emerged, with Italian engineering centers producing high-impact foundational work and a broad group of Chinese institutions driving high-volume clinical validation. The 2024-2026 interval suggested accelerated clinical translation, including first-in-human robotic procedures and regulatory milestones. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric overview of robot-assisted gastrointestinal endoscopy, highlighting the importance of multicenter randomized trials, prospective health economic evaluations, and strengthened cross-institutional engineering-clinical collaboration.