Robotic metabolic and bariatric surgery in community vs. academic centers in USA: a bibliometric analysis on behalf of TROGSS - The Robotic Global Surgical Society

Abstract

Robotic metabolic and bariatric surgery (RMBS) has emerged as the most effective approach in the treatment of severe obesity in academic medical centers (AMCs) and community medical centers (CMCs) in the United States of America (USA). However, differences in their scientific productivity in their fields remain unexplored. This bibliometric analysis evaluates the differences in the scientific production related to RMBS in AMC vs. CMC in the USA from the point of view of bibliometric analysis. In the core collection of the Web of Science database, the research technique used in this bibliometric analysis includes specific keywords for “robotic” and “bariatric surgery”. Original articles released up until 2023 were included. A total of 89 articles were included in the study, with 73 originating from AMC and 16 from CMC. Compared with CMC, AMC had a higher average number of articles per year (3.48 vs. 1.1, P = 0.002) and a higher annual growth rate (13.23% vs. 7.6%). However, in terms of scientific impact, there was no difference in the average citations per article (22.73 ± 32.96 vs. 12.25 ± 9.59, P = 0.213) or the proportion of articles published in the highest quality scientific journals (54.8 vs. 56.3, P = 0.916). The scientific output of RMBS increased by 14.5% annually, showing a rising linear trend in AMC and an unclear trend in CMC. The University of Illinois was the most frequent AMC, while the Orlando Health network was the most common CMC. Both CMC and AMC play a pivotal role in the scientific production related to RMBS in the USA, with academic centers having a higher scientific production, but with similar scientific impact to the field at this time.

Keywords

Bariatric surgery / community centers / academic centers / robotic surgery / United States of America

References

[1] Zhang Z,Ren Z.Robotic bariatric surgery for the obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Surg Endosc2021;35:2440-56

[2] Cadière GB,Hainaux B,Favretti S.Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.Semin Laparosc Surg2002;9:105-14

[3] Chen JG,Rivkees S.University-versus community-based residency programs: does the distinction matter?.J Grad Med Educ2017;9:426-9 PMCID:PMC5559235

[4] Zoorob R,Malpani S.Adult inpatient training for a family practice residency: a university-versus community-based setting.Fam Med2002;34:518-21

[5] Recchia KC,Spooner SA.Implementation of the community outpatient practice experience in a large pediatric residency program.Pediatrics1995;96:90-8

[6] Aria M.Bibliometrix: an R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis.J Informetr2017;11:959-75

[7] van Eck NJ, Waltman L. Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping.Scientometrics2010;84:523-38 PMCID:PMC2883932

[8] van Eck NJ, Waltman L. VOSviewer manual. Available from https://www.vosviewer.com/documentation/Manual_VOSviewer_1.6.20.pdf [accessed 17 March 2025].

[9] Venable GT,Roberts ML,Khan NR.An application of Bradford’s law: identification of the core journals of pediatric neurosurgery and a regional comparison of citation density.Childs Nerv Syst2014;30:1717-27

[10] Talamini MA, Chapman S, Horgan S, Melvin WS; Academic Robotics Group. A prospective analysis of 211 robotic-assisted surgical procedures. Surg Endosc. 2003;17:1521-4.

[11] Moon RC,Royall NA,Jawad MA.Robotic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, is it safer than laparoscopic bypass?.Obes Surg2016;26:1016-20

[12] Musbahi A,Immanuel A.A bibliometric analysis of robotic surgery from 2001 to 2021.World J Surg2022;46:1314-24 PMCID:PMC9054892

[13] Jerome E,Wiggins T.Global trends in BMS research using publication as a surrogate marker: a 30 year review.Obes Res Clin Pract2023;17:271-s4

[14] Fan G,Zhang H.Global scientific production of robotic surgery in medicine: a 20-year survey of research activities.Int J Surg2016;30:126-31

[15] Shen L,Dai W.Detecting the interdisciplinary nature and topic hotspots of robotics in surgery: social network analysis and bibliometric study.J Med Internet Res2019;21:e12625 PMCID:PMC6454338

[16] 24^th IFSO world congress. OBES SURG. 2019;29:347-1720.

[17] Seckin D.Bariatric surgery and weight gain: bibliometric analysis.Obes Surg2024;34:929-39 PMCID:PMC10899367

[18] Song Y,Li Y.Exploring the landscape, hot topics, and trends of bariatric metabolic surgery with machine learning and bibliometric analysis.Ther Adv Gastrointest Endosc2022;15:26317745221111944 PMCID:PMC9340401

[19] Song Y.Bibliometric analysis of metabolic surgery for type 2 diabetes: current status and future prospects.Updates Surg2022;74:697-707 PMCID:PMC8995285

[20] Domínguez Alvarado GA,Serrano Baez GA.Tracing the scientific legacy: bibliometric analysis of LATAM research in bariatric surgery for 33 years.Obes Surg2024;34:2897-906 PMCID:PMC11289062

[21] Ozsoy Z.The Evolution of bariatric surgery publications and global productivity: a bibliometric analysis.Obes Surg2018;28:1117-29

[22] Fleishon HB,Boland GW.Academic medical centers and community hospitals integration: trends and strategies.J Am Coll Radiol2017;14:45-51

[23] Grover A,Willson P.The economics of academic medical centers.N Engl J Med2014;370:2360-2

[24] Horsey ML,Simkins A,Ng M.Comparing outcomes for non-metastatic rectal cancer in academic vs. community centers: a propensity-matched analysis of the National Cancer Database.Am J Surg2021;222:989-97

[25] Khuri SF,Daley J.Comparison of surgical outcomes between teaching and nonteaching hospitals in the department of veterans affairs.Ann Surg2001;234:370-83 PMCID:PMC1422028

[26] López J,Anderson W.Is bariatric surgery safe in academic centers?.Am Surg2002;68:820-3

[27] Tomey D,Nguyen-Lee J.Predictors of morbidity in revisional bariatric surgery and bariatric emergencies at an MBSAQIP-accredited community hospital.World J Emerg Surg2022;17:55 PMCID:PMC9618177

[28] Oviedo RJ. Bariatric surgery conversions at a revisional referral center: a subset analysis of clinical outcomes from a rural community hospital accredited program. IJSCR 2020;1-4. Available from https://www.sciencerepository.org/bariatric-surgery-conversions-at-a-revisional-referral-center-a-subset_IJSCR-2020-3-104. [accessed 17 March 2025].

[29] Mills J,Wren SM,Earley M.Robotic general surgery trends in the veterans health administration, community practice, and academic centers from 2013 to 2021.JAMA Surg2023;158:552-4 PMCID:PMC9932937

[30] Taylor NK,Mahoney M.Building bridges between community health centers and academic medical centers in a COVID-19 pandemic.J Am Board Fam Med2021;34:S229-32