Benefits of Music Extend Beyond the Operating Room

Using music to improve the hospital experience of surgical patients has a long history of success but is not implemented routinely, likely because physicians are unaware of its benefits. Researchers performed a meta-analysis of 72 randomized, controlled trials that involved ≈6500 patients who underwent predominantly elective surgical procedures, ranging from mild endoscopic procedures to major cardiac or transplantation surgery (central nervous system and head and neck procedures were excluded). Studies could include any form of music, with initiation before, during, or after surgery; comparators were standard care or non–drug interventions, such as massage or relaxation. Perioperative music choice was made by patients or researchers and wa…