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<p>With ongoing progress in minimally invasive techniques, robot-assisted pediatric urological surgery (RAPUS) has been increasingly adopted for managing urological conditions in children. Relative to traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy, RAPUS can provide enhanced three-dimensional visualization, improved instrument dexterity, and may facilitate better perioperative recovery. To delineate the worldwide research landscape and shifting trends in this domain, we conducted a visualized bibliometric assessment of RAPUS publications retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, covering the period between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2025. Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace were applied to assess publication trends, country and institutional contributions, author collaboration networks, core journals, co-cited references, and keyword clusters. Overall, 1044 publications were included, mainly original research articles and reviews. Annual output increased steadily, with marked acceleration after 2015 and a peak in 2025. The United States led the field in both publication output and citation influence, followed by the United Kingdom, Italy, and a rapidly rising China. Major research hubs were children’s hospitals and academic medical centers in North America and Europe. Core journals included Journal of Pediatric Urology, Journal of Endourology, Journal of Urology, and related pediatric surgery and minimally invasive surgery titles. Citation and keyword analyses showed that current hotspots focus on robot-assisted pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction, vesicoureteral reflux correction, ureteral and upper urinary tract reconstruction, and kidney-sparing procedures and complex lower urinary tract reconstructions. Over time, research has shifted from feasibility and technical reports toward outcome-focused reconstructive studies, with more multicenter cohorts, trend analyses, and meta-analyses. In conclusion, global RAPUS research has entered a phase of sustained development, with upper urinary tract reconstruction forming the core evidence base and indications expanding to more complex renal and bladder procedures. Future studies should prioritize high-quality multicenter prospective investigations, long-term quality-of-life outcomes, and critical evaluation of emerging technologies and decision-support tools to guide clinical practice.</p>

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Global research trends in robot-assisted pediatric urological surgery: a visualized bibliometric analysis

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月30日

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  • Longtu Ma,
  • Xiaoyu Huang,
  • Long Cheng,
  • Jingwen Liu,
  • Hua Ma,
  • Zhilong Dong

摘要

With ongoing progress in minimally invasive techniques, robot-assisted pediatric urological surgery (RAPUS) has been increasingly adopted for managing urological conditions in children. Relative to traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy, RAPUS can provide enhanced three-dimensional visualization, improved instrument dexterity, and may facilitate better perioperative recovery. To delineate the worldwide research landscape and shifting trends in this domain, we conducted a visualized bibliometric assessment of RAPUS publications retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, covering the period between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2025. Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace were applied to assess publication trends, country and institutional contributions, author collaboration networks, core journals, co-cited references, and keyword clusters. Overall, 1044 publications were included, mainly original research articles and reviews. Annual output increased steadily, with marked acceleration after 2015 and a peak in 2025. The United States led the field in both publication output and citation influence, followed by the United Kingdom, Italy, and a rapidly rising China. Major research hubs were children’s hospitals and academic medical centers in North America and Europe. Core journals included Journal of Pediatric Urology, Journal of Endourology, Journal of Urology, and related pediatric surgery and minimally invasive surgery titles. Citation and keyword analyses showed that current hotspots focus on robot-assisted pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction, vesicoureteral reflux correction, ureteral and upper urinary tract reconstruction, and kidney-sparing procedures and complex lower urinary tract reconstructions. Over time, research has shifted from feasibility and technical reports toward outcome-focused reconstructive studies, with more multicenter cohorts, trend analyses, and meta-analyses. In conclusion, global RAPUS research has entered a phase of sustained development, with upper urinary tract reconstruction forming the core evidence base and indications expanding to more complex renal and bladder procedures. Future studies should prioritize high-quality multicenter prospective investigations, long-term quality-of-life outcomes, and critical evaluation of emerging technologies and decision-support tools to guide clinical practice.