Quality and reliability of pancreaticoduodenectomy-related videos on TikTok, Bilibili, and YouTube: a cross-sectional content analysis.

Background: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), also known as the Whipple procedure, is a complex surgical procedure for pancreatic head and periampullary lesions. As short-video platforms increasingly shape the way patients and the public access health information, the quality and reliability of PD-related videos have important implications for patient education and public health communication. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the source, content coverage, quality, reliability, and engagement characteristics of PD-related short videos on TikTok, Bilibili, and YouTube. Methods: Searches were conducted from January 26 to March 16, 2026, using newly registered accounts and Chinese and English keywords related to PD. After predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, 180 videos were included. Two independent raters with medical backgrounds assessed content coverage, the Global Quality Score (GQS), and the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) score. Final GQS and mDISCERN scores were calculated as the average of the two raters' scores. Engagement indicators and uploader characteristics were extracted. Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis H tests, chi-square tests, Spearman correlation analyses, interrater reliability analyses, and exploratory ROC and multivariable regression analyses were performed. Results: Interrater agreement was excellent for both GQS and mDISCERN. Among the 180 videos, 159 (88.33%) were uploaded by medical professionals and 21 (11.67%) by non-medical professionals. Medical-professional videos had significantly more likes and comments. In unadjusted comparisons, non-medical videos were longer and had higher GQS scores; however, uploader type was not independently associated with GQS after adjustment for duration and platform. mDISCERN scores did not differ significantly between the two groups. Most videos focused on management or procedural aspects of PD, whereas definitions, symptoms/indications, and outcomes/prognosis were less frequently addressed. Video duration was positively correlated with GQS and mDISCERN, and a sample-derived threshold of 160 s identified videos with GQS ≥4 with an AUC of 0.886. Significant differences in duration, engagement, quality scores, and uploader distribution were observed across platforms. Conclusion: PD-related videos on TikTok, Bilibili, and YouTube have some educational value but remain limited by incomplete content coverage and inconsistent reliability. Improving the completeness, transparency, comprehensibility, and platform governance of surgical health videos may help patients access more trustworthy information.