T. M. Connelly1, Z. Malik1, R. Sehgal1, J. C. Coffey1, G. Byrnes1, C. B. Peirce1 1University Hospital Limerick,Colorectal Surgery,Limerick, CO. LIMERICK, Israel
Introduction: Since the first robotic assisted surgery in 1985, a steady increase in the number of procedures performed annually has been documented. Bibliometric analysis highlights the key studies that have influenced current practice in a field of interest. We use bibliometric analysis to evaluate the 100 most cited manuscripts on robotic surgery and discuss their influence on the evolution of the platform.
Methods: The terms ‘robotic surgery,’ ‘robot assisted surgery’ and ‘robot-assisted surgery’ were used to search Thomson Reuters Web of Science database for full length, English language manuscripts. The top 100 cited manuscripts were analyzed by manuscript type, surgical specialty, first and last author, institution, year and journal of publication
Results: 14,980 manuscripts were returned. Within the top 100 cited manuscripts, the majority featured urological surgery (n=28), followed by combined results from surgical subspecialites (n=15) and colorectal surgery (n=13). The most cited paper authored by Nelson et al (432 citations) reviewed technological advances in the field. European Urology published the highest number of papers (n=15, 2595 citations). The year and country with the greatest number of publications were 2009 (n=15) and the USA (n=68). The Johns Hopkins University published the most top 100 manuscripts (n=18).
Conclusion: The 100 most cited manuscripts describe the progression of robotic surgery from a basic instrument-holding platform to today’s articulated instruments with 3D technology. From feasibility studies to multicenter trials, this analysis demonstrates how robotic assisted surgery has gained acceptance in urological, colorectal, general, cardiothoracic, orthopedic, maxillofacial and neurosurgery.
