Robotic ventral rectopexy videos on youtube: reliability of quality and educational value assessment among raters with different degrees of surgical experience

Purpose: Robotic ventral rectopexy (RVR) has gained acceptance as a minimally invasive approach for treating rectal prolapse and rectocele. Although numerous surgical videos have been published, their educational quality remains underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the overall quality, adherence to reporting guidelines, and educational value of the most-viewed RVR videos on YouTube, as rated by surgical trainees, fellows, and senior surgeons. Methods: The 25 most-viewed YouTube videos on RVR were selected and assessed for adherence to LAP-VEGaS and consensus reporting guidelines, overall quality, and educational value. Surgeons’ performance was evaluated using the Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (GEARS) scale. A Bayesian ordinal regression model analyzed factors influencing video quality and utility ratings. Results: Video quality and educational value varied significantly among viewer groups. Only 40% of videos underwent peer review before publication. Adherence to reporting guidelines was low (median conformity rate: 13.5%-16.7%). Inter-rater reliability differed across GEARS domains, with senior surgeons rating video quality and utility more critically than trainees and fellows. Videos with more likes and shorter online duration were more likely to be rated as high-quality. Conclusions: Online surgical videos on RVR offer easily accessible but potentially unreliable educational resources and exhibit significant variability in quality and guideline adherence. Structured, peer-reviewed video-based educational programs and standardized reporting practices are crucial for improving the educational impact of online surgical videos.