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Evaluation of YouTube Endoscopy Videos Reveals a Quality Deficiency

by Linda Kossoff •

What is the current level of quality and reliability of publicly available rhinologic endoscopy videos on YouTube as a source for surgical teaching?

BOTTOM LINE

Although they are growing in prominence and play an important role in surgical education, endoscopic videos are heterogenous in quality and reliability.

BACKGROUND: Advancements in endoscopic surgery, along with growth in public video sharing forums, provides an opportunity to enhance surgical education. YouTube, recently cited as the most used video forum for surgical preparation among residents and medical students, suggests videos to users based on an algorithm that prioritizes video metrics over quality.

STUDY DESIGN: Video search and analysis.

SETTING: Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Irvine Medical Center, Orange, Calif.

SYNOPSIS: In April 2020, researchers performed a YouTube video search using terms related to rhinology and dating back to 2005. A total of 138 videos were evaluated and divided into two upload groups: academic-affiliated (24 videos) and independent or nonacademic (114 videos). YouTube metrics were recorded including procedural code, production type, number of views, comments and likes/dislikes, length, and time since upload. Videos were evaluated for metrics and quality using validated scoring systems. Independently uploaded videos were viewed with an average of 156,815 views per video compared with 25,078 views per video for academic-affiliated videos. Academic-affiliated videos had a higher like ratio and significantly higher metrics and quality scores compared with independently uploaded videos. Authors noted that other video platforms require membership for access and are likely to be more regulated and therefore of higher quality. Study limitations included YouTube’s continual content evolution.

CITATION: Bitner BF, Gowda S, Mark ME, et al. See many, do one, teach many more: Assessing quality and reliability of publicly available endoscopic videos in rhinology. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2022;12:1527–1534.