Cataract patients more relaxed when they listened to music before surgery, says study
Posted on: 31/May/2016 10:36:55 AM
A study conducted by researchers from the Cochin University in France has said that listening to relaxing music just before an eye surgery can make patients less anxious and reduce the amount of sedation required.
62 patients were randomly assigned to hear relaxing music or no music through headphones for around 15 minutes host before their cataract surgery. The surgery also lasted for an average of 15 minutes.
Say the researchers, The music played was specifically composed to ease anxiety following strict criteria, including instrumental pieces only using a decreasing tempo and a progressive decrease in the number of instruments playing. Each patient was able to choose from a panel of 16 recorded music styles according to their own preferences, and listened through high quality headphones.
There were various styles available, including jazz, flamenco, Cuban, classical and piano. Due to the massive use of disinfectant and other liquids during surgery, headphones would have been rapidly damaged if used during the actual procedure. However, there is evidence that music-induced relaxation lasts around 60 minutes after the music has stopped.
A surgical fear questionnaire (SFQ) was used to assess anxiety before and after a music session. Overall postoperative patient satisfaction was assessed using a standardised questionnaire. The proportion of patients receiving the sedative midazolam during surgery was also recorded. The music group also received significantly less sedatives during surgery (16 per cent) compared with the non-music group (32 per cent). Postoperative satisfaction was significantly higher in the music group (mean score 71 out of 100 versus 55 for the non-music group). Music listening may be considered as an inexpensive, non-invasive, non-pharmacological method to reduce anxiety for patients undergoing elective eye surgery under local anaesthesia.
