Is Youtube a potential training source for total extraperitoneal laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair?

Area of Science:

• Medical education
• Surgical training
• Laparoscopic surgery

Background:

• YouTube is a major platform for medical information.
• The educational quality of surgical procedure videos varies significantly.
• Total extraperitoneal laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (TEP) is a common procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the educational quality of TEP repair videos on YouTube.
• To assess the characteristics of high-quality TEP repair videos.
• To determine the reliability of YouTube for surgical training.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search for TEP repair videos on YouTube was conducted.
• The first 120 videos were downloaded, and 55 were included.
• A validated scoring system assessed video quality and demographics.

Main Results:

• Only 23.6% of videos were rated as good quality.
• Good quality videos had higher engagement metrics (likes, comments).
• Videos from academic centers and community hospitals scored higher than those from individual physicians.

Conclusions:

• TEP repair videos on YouTube exhibit significant educational quality heterogeneity.
• The lack of a peer-review process contributes to variable quality.
• YouTube should not be considered a primary source for surgical training without critical vetting.