Evaluation of Google's AI Overviews for fibula free flap preoperative information: Quality, reliability, and readability

Objective This study evaluated the quality, reliability, and readability of preoperative information on Fibula Free Flap surgery provided by AI Overview via a Google Search. Methods Two Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery clinicians evaluated Google AI Overview summary answers in response to 6 frequently asked questions regarding Fibula Free Flap Surgery. The clinicians used the Global Quality Score (GQS) and the Modified DISCERN tool. A Readability Age was calculated using the Simplified Flesch-Kincaid formula. Cohen's Kappa (k) assessed inter rater agreeability. Results The information provided by AI Overview was rated as high quality (Mean GQS = 4.75; SD = 0.35, on a 5-point scale) and highly reliable, with all questions scoring well on the Modified DISCERN tool. Inter-rater agreement was moderate (k = 0.40). The readability age was calculated as 16.5 years old on average. Conclusion A high-quality summary of fibula free flap surgery information can be found using Google's AI Overview. Crucially, the reader requires the linguistic skill of a 16.5-year-old to understand the material, which is significantly higher than the recommended 11–13-year age for health materials.