Abstract
Background: Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia has gained popularity over the last decade. This study aimed to assess whether YouTube videos sufficiently serve as an adjunctive tool for learning how to perform an ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block (BPB). Methods: All YouTube videos were classified, based on their sources, as either academic, manufacturer, educational, or individual videos. The metrics, accuracy, utility, reliability (using the Journal of American Medical Association Score benchmark criteria (JAMAS)), and educational quality (using the Global Quality Score (GQS) and Brachial Plexus Block Specific Quality Score (BSQS)) were validated. Results: Here, 175 videos were included. Academic (1.19 ± 0.62, mean ± standard deviation), manufacturer (1.17 ± 0.71), and educational videos (1.15 ± 0.76) had better JAMAS accuracy and reliability than individual videos (0.26 ± 0.67) (p < 0.001). Manufacturer (11.22 ± 1.63) and educational videos (10.33 ± 3.34) had a higher BSQS than individual videos (7.32 ± 4.20) (p < 0.001). All sources weakly addressed the equipment preparation and post-procedure questions after BSQS analysis. Conclusions: The reliability and quality of ultrasound-guided BPB videos differ depending on their source. As YouTube is a useful educational platform for learners and teachers, global societies of regional anesthesiologists should set a standard for videos.
Highlights
Regional anesthesia provides benefits for patients by reducing acute, chronic postoperative pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting, and pulmonary complications [1,2,3,4].Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) has grown in popularity over the last decade, and several advancements have led to an increase in its effectiveness and safety [5,6,7,8]
There is no definitive evidence that UGRA reduces peripheral nerve injury compared with the traditional nerve stimulation techniques, it has been reported that UGRA reduced the incidence of local anesthetic systemic toxicity [11,12,13] and the frequency of pneumothorax associated with US-guided supraclavicular blocks [14,15,16]
The majority of the teaching physicians believe that US increases the efficacy and safety of regional anesthesia, and recommend that UGRA be included in the teaching programs of residents and fellows [17]
Summary
Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) has grown in popularity over the last decade, and several advancements have led to an increase in its effectiveness and safety [5,6,7,8]. As ultrasonography (US) provides direct visualization of the needle pathway, target nerve, surrounding tissues, and local anesthetic spread around the nerve, and anesthesiologists can rapidly and more accurately perform the nerve block [9,10]. The majority of the teaching physicians believe that US increases the efficacy and safety of regional anesthesia, and recommend that UGRA be included in the teaching programs of residents and fellows [17]. Besides comprehension of the general principles of US and anatomy, UGRA requires new skills, including image interpretation, needle beam alignment, and needle trajectory-tracking [20,21]
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