Original Article

Global trends and hotspots in robotic-assisted arthroplasty from 1992 to 2025: a bibliometric and visualized analysis

¹ Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital (Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100029, PR China
² Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sport Medicine, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, Croix-Rousse Hospital, Lyon University Hospital, Lyon, PR France
³ Center for Hip Preservation, Osteonecrosis and Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, PR China
⁴ Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, PR China

^* Corresponding authors: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Fuqiang Gao); This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Sébastien Lustig); This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Weiguo Wang)

Received: 21 January 2026
Accepted: 20 February 2026

Abstract

Introduction: Robotic-assisted arthroplasty (RAA) is a rapidly advancing technology in orthopedic surgery. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to map the global research landscape, identify hotspots, and trace the evolution of this field from 1992 to 2025. Methods: Literature was retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) of Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace (6.3.R1) and VOSviewer (1.6.20) were employed to perform quantitative and visualized analyses of countries, institutions, authors, journals, co-citations, and keywords. Results: A total of 1373 publications were included. The annual publication output demonstrated exponential growth, particularly in the last five years. The USA led in productivity, while the United Kingdom had the highest average citation frequency. Mont, Michael A., Batailler, Cécile, and Lustig, Sébastien were identified as the most prolific authors. The Journal of Arthroplasty published the most papers. Keyword analysis revealed that research hotspots focused on total knee arthroplasty, alignment, accuracy, and functional alignment. Bursts and timeline analyses indicated a shift in frontiers from alignment accuracy and clinical outcomes to updates of robotic systems and new technologies. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis maps the evolution of RAA, highlighting a shift from technical precision to patient-centered outcomes, and identifies future directions, including long-term benefit assessment and technology integration.