A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Breast Reconstruction with Fat Grafting Content on TikTok

Objective: As of November 2021, TikTok has one billion monthly active users, and content creators have utilized the app to advocate for social reforms, education, and other uses that were not previously considered. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, and as more individuals with breast cancer choose to undergo resection, the demand for autologous fat grafting in breast reconstruction has increased. The purpose of this study is to analyze content related to breast reconstruction with fat grafting found on TikTok and recommend methods to improve patient education, care, and outcomes. Methods: We searched TikTok on November 1, 2021, for videos using the phrase “breast reconstruction with fat grafting.” The top 200 videos retrieved from the TikTok search algorithm were analyzed, and all commentaries, duplicates, and non-relevant videos were removed. Video characteristics were collected, and two independent reviewers generated a DISCERN score. Results: A total of 131 videos were included in the study. They were found to have a combined 1,871,980 likes, 41,113 comments, and 58,662 shares. The videos had an average DISCERN score of 2.16. Content creators had an overall low DISCERN score in items involving the use of references, disclosure of risks for not obtaining treatment, and support for shared decision making. When stratified, the DISCERN score was higher for videos created by physicians (DISCERN average 2.48) than for videos created by non-physicians (DISCERN average 1.99) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Content creators can improve the quality of their videos by disclosing treatment risks, benefits, discussing risks for not obtaining treatment, and advocating for shared decision-making. Furthermore, including citations and academic references may offer increased credibility and promote evidence-based practice. Furthermore, although DISCERN is a reliable source to assess patient information, it has not been tested for its reliability with videos such as on TikTok. Corresponding Author: Kongkrit Chaiyasate, 3555 W 13 Mile Rd #120, Royal Oak, MI, 48073, [email protected], 248-890-2515