Global research trends in pelvic lymph node dissection during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a bibliometric and knowledge-mapping analysis.

Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) remains central to pathological nodal staging during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), although its optimal extent, therapeutic contribution, and morbidity profile remain debated. A corpus of 417 English-language articles and reviews indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection up to 16 July 2026 was analysed to delineate the development and knowledge structure of PLND research associated with RARP. Bibliometric analyses were undertaken with VOSviewer, CiteSpace, bibliometrix, and Origin. Publication activity accelerated after 2020 and reached 50 records in 2024. The international collaboration network was led principally by the United States, Germany, and Italy. The cited literature and keyword structure were dominated by nodal-risk prediction, dissection templates, pathological staging, and perioperative complications, whereas recent studies increasingly addressed lymphocele prevention, PSMA-based assessment, image-guided lymphadenectomy, evidence synthesis, and technical refinement of robotic approaches. These patterns indicate a change in research priorities rather than proof that any particular PLND strategy improves clinical outcomes. Future work should determine whether more accurate nodal assessment influences subsequent treatment or long-term oncological outcomes and should employ standardised templates, integrated risk models, and prospective multicentre endpoints.