Surgical videos on the internet: Is this a reliable pedagogical tool in residency training?

Abstract

Introduction: Several open access platforms are currently available to help facilitate this online learning; however, whether the platforms are generalized or specialized, peers do not evaluate videos, and they may teach unverified techniques. The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of each website’s content using a specific measurement, analyzing the pedagogical quality of Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) arthroscopic videos on YouTube versus VuMedi. Methods: A prospective study analyzing 20 arthroscopy videos of arthroscopic FAI surgery on two hosting platforms online: 10 on the generalist platform YouTube and 10 on a specialized platform VuMedi. Results: The average length of the YouTube videos was 503 ± 355.02 s (198–1430). The average number of views for the YouTube videos was 56,114.6 ± 116,832.61 (1149–383,694). The average length of the VuMedi videos was 797.5 ± 522.5 s (185–1927). The average number of views for the VuMedi video was 10,404.7 ± 10,071.2 (1625–37,115) The average LAP-VEGaS scores of the YouTube and VuMedi videos were 8.2 ± 3.47 (3–15) and 11.95 ± 2.64 (6–15), respectively (p < 0.0005). Discussion: The use of a specialized website makes it possible to obtain educational videos of better quality. Health professionals need to be aware of this when using it as a resource for learning. Therefore, it should be in the interest of educational institutions to participate in the sharing of videos on this platform or to create their own platform to improve the quality of the information provided and the overall pedagogical experience.Level of evidence: II