Objectives: Breast oncoplasty is rapidly evolving, but contemporary postgraduate training resources remain limited. Surgeons and patients increasingly turn to YouTube for accessible educational content. However, the quality and reliability of these videos remain unclear. The objective is to evaluate the quality, reliability, and engagement characteristics of YouTube videos related to breast oncoplasty. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in May 2025. A systematic YouTube search using relevant keywords was performed in incognito mode. Eligible videos (English, >1 minute, directly related to breast oncoplasty) were analysed. Video characteristics and engagement metrics were extracted using TubeBuddy, Hamphy, and the YouTube interface. Quality was assessed independently by two researchers using the DISCERN instrument, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and Global Quality Score (GQS). Engagement was quantified by likes, dislikes, views, comments, SEO score, and Video Power Index (VPI). Statistical analysis included ANOVA/Kruskal–Wallis tests and Pearson/Spearman correlations. Results: A total of 104 videos met the inclusion criteria. The mean DISCERN score was 50.8 ± 6.7, the mean JAMA score was 3.36 ± 0.6, and the mean GQS was 3.45 ± 0.5, indicating moderate overall educational quality. Academic discussion and advocacy videos demonstrated significantly higher DISCERN scores compared with self-promotional content ( p = 0.020). Patient-uploaded videos achieved the highest audience engagement, with median views of 8953 compared with 2192 among physician-uploaded videos ( p = 0.039). DISCERN scores showed strong correlations with JAMA ( r = 0.574, p <0.001) and GQS ( r = 0.604, p <0.001). Video age demonstrated significant negative correlations with DISCERN ( r = –0.404, p <0.001) and VPI ( r = –0.251, p = 0.011), indicating that newer videos were associated with higher quality and greater viewer approval. Conclusion: YouTube serves as a widely used platform for breast oncoplasty education, but the overall quality is variable. Videos from academic and advocacy sources were superior, while self-promotional content scored lowest. There is a need for professional societies and academic bodies to create and promote high-quality, evidence-based content to enhance global breast surgery education.
Sah et al. (Mon,) studied this question.