Exploring TikTok's influence on surgical patient education

INTRODUCTION: Social media platforms, especially rapidly growing ones like TikTok, are increasingly used to disseminate health information. Its interactive features promote user participation, allowing for the sharing of experiences and raising awareness about specific medical conditions, while also simplifying complex procedures. This study aimed to explore the possible influence of TikTok short-video application on the education of surgical patients. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in compliance with the PRISMA checklist. The research protocol was registered with the PROSPERO register (CRD42024551646). A search was performed in the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases from inception to 2024. The search terms used were "TikTok AND Surgery," "TikTok AND Surgical Education," and "TikTok AND surgery AND patient." RESULTS: The present systematic search resulted in 697 citations, of which 50 relevant citations were included. The search revealed that TikTok has widely used among patients from different surgical specialties and has an influence on their education. The platform facilitates public health awareness, allowing surgeons to share educational content, including surgical techniques and patient-oriented information. CONCLUSION: As one of the rapidly growing social media platforms, TikTok is increasingly utilised to disseminate health information. It has been adopted across various surgical specialties. While the platform presents a great opportunity to improve the education of surgical patients, it presents challenges related to the accuracy of information, potential misinformation, and lack of regulation. Surgeons and healthcare professionals should actively participate in creating accurate, evidence-based content that enhances patient education and promotes public health awareness.