Music Therapy in Patients Undergoing Ambulatory Surgery: A Single-Blind Randomized Trial

Abstract

Abstract Background Day surgery procedures constitute an essential part of surgical practices in hospitals worldwide. However, outpatients may experience anxiety, fear, and stress negatively impacting patients' ability to follow the established ambulatory surgery pathway. While medications are generally administered to reduce perioperative stress, there are several measures to avoid their use. Music therapy (MT) can be used as a complementary, drug-free, safe, and cost-effective intervention. Aims The purpose of our study was to evaluate the impact of MT on perioperative stress and patient satisfaction in patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. Methods We conducted a randomized study in patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. The MT group listened to relaxing music for the whole hospital stay, while the control group received the standard treatment. Both groups were managed in the pre- and postoperative periods according to current clinical practice and ultimately received the Leiden Perioperative care Patient Satisfaction (LPPS) questionnaire before hospital discharge. Results During the study period, 33 patients were included, 16 randomized to the MT arm and 17 to the control arm. The average age of the patients was 51.1±16.2 years, and 10 (31.2%) patients were women. The postoperative period was uneventful for almost all patients (95.8%), and we observed a high level of satisfaction. No patient required medication for anxiety treatment in the postoperative period. Pre- and postoperative vital signs were similar in both arms. A slightly higher LPPS score was noted in the MT group (179±8 vs. 171±20 pts, p=0.174). Conclusion Despite limitations, our study demonstrated that MT in patients undergoing ambulatory surgery might be advantageous in reducing perioperative stress, potentially increasing satisfaction, and enhancing patients' perception of being cared for in a multidisciplinary manner, without neglecting the emotional aspect.