Educational value assessment of YouTube surgical videos of bladder hydrodistention for surgeons

The increasing reliance on online surgical learning underscores the need to evaluate the quality and reliability of available educational resources. This study aimed to assess the quality and educational value of YouTube videos related to bladder hydrodistention.

A cross-sectional analysis was performed on 33 eligible bladder hydrodistention videos, which were searched on YouTube in December 2025. Videos were categorized according to upload source, content type, and region. Video quality, reliability, and educational value were assessed using validated instruments: the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) score (0-4), Global Quality Scale (GQS) score (1-5), Modified Discriminant (M.DISCERN) score (0-5), and Laparoscopic Surgery Video Educational Guidelines (LAP-VEGaS, 0-18). Correlations between video characteristics and assessment scores were statistically analyzed.

Among all included videos, the majority were uploaded by urologists (48.5%). The content category "surgery + information" accounted for the lowest proportion (18.2%), but demonstrated the highest reliability, quality, and educational value (JAMA: 3 vs. 1, P=0.02; M.DISCERN: 4 vs. 1, P=0.001; GQS: 4 vs. 2, P<0.001; LAP-VEGaS: 10.5 vs. 5, P=0.005). Videos with high reliability were significantly longer in duration (P=0.02). Only JAMA scores showed a positive correlation with engagement metrics (P<0.05), whereas GQS and M.DISCERN scores were not significantly associated with these indicators (P>0.05).

Despite the large number of bladder hydrodistention videos uploaded by urologists, their overall quality and educational value are generally suboptimal. Videos combining surgical procedures with patient-oriented information show higher reliability and quality. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating concise summaries, subtitles, and surgical footage to improve the educational quality of such videos for surgeons.