Medical information on the Internet: Quality assessment of lumbar puncture and neuroaxial block techniques on YouTube.
BACKGROUND
The Internet has become the largest, most up-to-date source for medical information. Besides enhancing patients' knowledge, the freely accessible audio-visual files have an impact on medical education. However little is known about their characteristics. In this manuscript the quality of lumbar puncture (LP) and spinal anaesthesia (SA) videos available on YouTube is assessed.


METHODS
This retrospective analysis was based on a search for LP and SA on YouTube. Videos were evaluated using essential key points (5 in SA, 4 in LP) and 3 safety indicators. Furthermore, violation of sterile working techniques and a rating whether the video must be regarded as dangerously misleading was performed.


RESULTS
From 2321 hits matching the keywords, 38 videos were eligible for evaluation. In LP videos, 14% contained information on all, 4.5% on 3 and 4.5% on 2 key points, 59% on 1 and 18% on no key point. Regarding SA, no video contained information on all 5 key points, 56% on 2-4 and 25% on 1 key point, 19% did not contain any essential information. A sterility violation occurred in 11%, and 13% were classified as dangerously misleading.


CONCLUSIONS
Even though high quality videos are available, the quality of video clips is generally low. The fraction of videos that were not performed in an aseptic manner is low, but these pose a substantial risk to patients. Consequently, more high-quality, institutional medical learning videos must be made available in the light of the increased utilization on the Internet.
Medical Simulation and Emergency Management Research Group, Medical University of Vienna, Department of Anaesthesia, General Intensive Care and Pain Management, Vienna, Austria. bernhard.roessler@meduniwien.ac.at
Bernhard
B
Rössler
Daniel
D
Lahner
Karl
K
Schebesta
Astrid
A
Chiari
Walter
W
Plöchl
D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D020407:Internet / Q000592:standards*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D061214:Patient Safety; D011786:Quality Control; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013242:Sterilization; D014741:Video Recording
D000779:Anesthetics, Local