Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42557461›Full record

ReviewJournal of robotic surgery2026

Robot-assisted surgery for male reproductive diseases: global research trends, collaboration networks, and thematic evolution.

Xiaodong Zhao, Huabin Wang, Cheng Peng, Feng Yue, Jianwen Wang

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of robotic surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Xiaodong ZhaoThe First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Huabin WangThe First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Cheng PengThe First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Feng YueThe First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Jianwen WangThe First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China. wangjianwen905@163.com.

Funding

Key Research and Development Plan Project of Gansu Province, China 24YFFA039Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province, China 23JRRA1614
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Robot-assisted surgery has been introduced into several male reproductive diseases, including male infertility-related reconstructive or microsurgical procedures, testicular cancer-related retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, and penile cancer-related inguinal lymph node surgery. However, unlike robot-assisted radical prostatectomy, these non-prostate male reproductive applications remain scattered across small clinical series, technical reports, and procedure-specific reviews. This study mapped the global research landscape and thematic evolution of robot-assisted surgery for male reproductive diseases excluding prostate disease. Publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection using a disease- and procedure-bound search strategy focused on robot-assisted microsurgery, vasovasostomy, vasoepididymostomy, varicocelectomy, sperm retrieval, azoospermia, testicular cancer/RPLND, and penile cancer/inguinal lymphadenectomy. The search was conducted on June 12, 2026. Articles and reviews in English were retained. Bibliometrix and CiteSpace were used to analyze publication trends, countries, institutions, authors, sources, cited references, keyword co-occurrence, clusters, bursts, and thematic changes. A total of 228 records were initially retrieved. After excluding 67 records outside the retained document types and 8 non-English records, 153 publications were included, comprising 110 articles and 43 reviews. The literature covered 2001-2026, involved 59 sources, 952 authors, 298 author keywords, and 3016 cited references, with an annual growth rate of 6.2%. Annual output remained low before 2013, increased after 2019, and peaked in 2025 (n = 18), whereas 2026 represented partial-year data (n = 9). The United States was the dominant contributor and citation center, while Italy, China, India, England, Germany, Canada, France, Switzerland, and Australia formed the main international network. Keyword analysis identified three principal domains: testicular cancer/RPLND, penile cancer/inguinal lymphadenectomy, and male infertility-related robotic microsurgery. Robot-assisted surgery for male reproductive diseases is a small but expanding field organized around distinct oncologic and reproductive surgery applications. Publication and citation activity is more extensive for testicular cancer/RPLND and penile cancer nodal surgery than for fertility-directed microsurgical reconstruction; however, bibliometric prominence should not be interpreted as greater clinical maturity, quality of evidence, or superiority. Future research should emphasize standardized indications, multicenter outcome reporting, fertility and oncologic endpoints, learning-curve assessment, and cost-effectiveness evaluation.

Indexed as

Genital Diseases, MaleRobotic Surgical ProceduresHumansLymph Node ExcisionMaleMicrosurgeryPenile NeoplasmsSperm RetrievalTesticular NeoplasmsVasovasostomyBibliometric analysisMale infertilityMale reproductive diseasesPenile cancerRetroperitoneal lymph node dissectionRobot-assisted surgeryTesticular cancerVasoepididymostomyVasovasostomy

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.