Perioperative Music Implementation in Bariatric Patient Care: An Interventional Study.

BACKGROUND

Perioperative music can positively affect postoperative pain, opioid requirement, and anxiety. These effects are even present when music is played solely during general anesthesia. This study assesses the effect of implementing perioperative music as standard patient care in elective bariatric metabolic surgery (BMS).

METHODS

This prospective study compared the preimplementation (control) and postimplementation (intervention) groups between March and October 2023. The control group did not receive music, while the intervention group received patient-selected music using headphones and a tablet. Music was provided as standard during anesthesia. Only patients undergoing elective BMS (primary ring augmented Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) were included. The primary outcome was postoperative pain on a 10-point scale (numeric rating scale, NRS) on the first postoperative day. The secondary outcomes included postoperative nausea, patient satisfaction, and opioid and antiemetic requirements.

Results

In the control group, 66 patients were included, while 65 were included in the intervention group. Median NRS scores were 5 in both groups, showing no significant difference (p = 0.325). Medication use (analgesics and antiemetics) was similar in both groups. Patient satisfaction scores were high at 8 (8-9) and 9 (8-10), respectively, with no significant difference (p = 0.137). In the intervention group, most patients (86%) want to listen to music during subsequent surgical procedures.

CONCLUSION

Implementing perioperative music in BMS did not significantly reduce postoperative pain or postoperative medication use. As the bariatric perioperative tract is already well-received without music, it poses a challenge for detecting notable improvements. However, the strong patient preference for music during future surgeries emphasizes the positive perception of music in perioperative care.