Objective:

For the majority of patients, the Internet constitutes the first source of health information influencing their medical decision-making. We aimed to assess the quality of the online videos regarding anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF).

Methods:

YouTube database was searched using three different phrases: “anterior lumbar interbody fusion”, “ALIF”, and “ALIF surgery”. The first 50 videos for each phrase were selected. Video content was evaluated by three independent researchers using DISCERN instrument. Qualitative data, quantitative data, and the source of upload were analyzed.

Results:

A total of 24 videos were included. The mean DISCERN score was 38.21, indicating the poor quality of ALIF videos on YouTube. Video duration was positively correlated with DISCERN score (r=0.71, p <0.001) but not with the video power index (VPI). A negative correlation between time since upload and DISCERN score (r=-0.8 p<0.001) was found. Furthermore, videos containing surgical complications, risk factors, and postoperative prognosis had a significantly higher DISCERN score. Neither DISCERN score nor a VPI correlated with the presence of intraoperative recordings. Videos including the explanation of the spine anatomy had a significantly higher number of likes (p= 0.018).

Conclusions:

Despite the increasing educational value of ALIF videos over time, the overall quality of YouTube videos on ALIF remains poor. However, the majority of them can be recommended to the patient as an informative source of basic knowledge on the surgical details of the ALIF procedure. Longer video duration increases its quality without simultaneous negative influence on its popularity.