Click, Watch, Consent: Assessing the Quality of YouTube Information on Ivor‐Lewis Oesophagectomy

ABSTRACT Background and Aims With modern healthcare now shifting towards a more patient‐centred approach, informed consent and expectation management relies on both easily accessible and accurate information. YouTube is a popular source of medical information for patients, but its lack of regulation, especially on procedures like Ivor‐Lewis oesophagectomies, warrants analysis of the quality of content available. This study aims to assess the quality of information on YouTube related to the Ivor‐Lewis oesophagectomy for patient education. Methods A search of YouTube ( www.youtube.com ) videos was conducted in May 2025 with the term ‘Ivor‐Lewis oesophagectomy’. The inclusion criteria required the videos to discuss Ivor‐Lewis oesophagectomies, be narrated/subtitled in English, intended for patients and educational in nature. The exclusion criteria removed videos that were non‐English, technical surgical videos aimed at healthcare providers, and promotional videos. The videos were evaluated using the DISCERN tool and the Global Quality Score (GQS) and other descriptive statistics. Results A total of 226 videos were assessed against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twelve videos were deemed eligible as per the criteria and were included for analysis. The median view count was 10 961 views and the median length of the videos were 162 s. The median DISCERN score was 52.5/80 with medical institutions garnering the highest median out of all the source categories (58/80). The median GQS score was 4 points. Conclusion YouTube videos on Ivor‐Lewis oesophagectomies were largely of poor quality, indicating greater need for regulation and standards for medical information on video‐hosting platforms.