Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jun;25(3):741-753.
doi: 10.1007/s10029-020-02171-0. Epub 2020 Mar 23.

Educational value of surgical videos on transabdominal pre-peritoneal hernia repair (TAPP) on YouTube

E Reitano  1 , M Cavalli  2 , N de'Angelis  3 , J Loriau  4 , G Campanelli  2
Affiliations

Educational value of surgical videos on transabdominal pre-peritoneal hernia repair (TAPP) on YouTube

E Reitano et al. Hernia. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: Transabdominal pre-peritoneal hernia repair (TAPP) is a worldwide performed surgery. Surgical videos about TAPP uploaded on the web, with YouTube being the most frequently used platform, may have an educational purpose, which, however, remains unexplored. This study aims to evaluate the 20 most viewed YouTube videos on TAPP through the examination of four experienced surgeons and assess their conformity to the guidelines on how to report laparoscopic surgery videos.

Methods: On April 1st 2019, we searched for the 20 most viewed videos on TAPP on YouTube. Selected videos were evaluated on their overall utility and quality according to the Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills-Groin Hernia (GOALS-GH) and the Laparoscopic surgery Video Educational Guidelines (LAP-VEGaS).

Results: Image quality was poor for 13 videos (65%), good for 6 (30%) and in high definition for 1 (5%). Audio and written commentary were present in 55% of cases, while no video presented a detailed preoperative case description. Only 35% of the videos had a GOALS-GH score > 15, indicating good laparoscopic skills. Overall video conformity to the LAP-VEGaS guidelines was weak, with a median value of 12.5% (5.4-18.9%). Concordance between the examiners was acceptable for both the overall video quality (Cronbach's Alpha 0.685) and utility (0.732).

Conclusions: The most viewed TAPP videos available on YouTube in 2019 are not conformed to the LAP-VEGaS guidelines. Their quality and utility as a surgical learning tool are questionable. It is of upmost importance to improve the overall quality of free-access surgical videos due to their potential educational value.

Keywords: Educational videos; Inguinal hernia; Surgical training; Transabdominal pre-peritoneal hernia repair; YouTube.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Simons MP, Smietanski M, Bonjer HJ et al (2018) International guidelines for groin hernia management. Hernia 22:1–165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-017-1668-x - DOI
    1. Kashyap AS, Anand KP, Kashyap S (2004) Inguinal and incisional hernias. Lancet 363:84. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(03)15211-7 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fitzgibbons RJ, Ramanan B, Arya S et al (2013) Long-term results of a randomized controlled trial of a nonoperative strategy (watchful waiting) for men with minimally symptomatic inguinal hernias. Ann Surg 258:508–515 - DOI
    1. Lovisetto F, Zonta S, Rota E et al (2007) Laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) hernia repair: surgical phases and complications. SurgEndosc Other Interv Tech 21:646–652. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-006-9031-9 - DOI
    1. Bittner R, Arregui ME, Bisgaard T et al (2011) Guidelines for laparoscopic (TAPP) and endoscopic (TEP) treatment of inguinal hernia [International Endohernia Society (IEHS)]. SurgEndosc 25:2773–2843. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-011-1799-6 - DOI

LinkOut - more resources