Researchers suggest this approach may lead to faster recovery and fewer side effects.
Photo credit: Jonas Vandermeiren on Unsplash
New research from Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Hospital in Delhi suggests that playing music during surgery may reduce the need for anesthetic drugs and accelerate patient recovery.
The 11-month study followed 56 adults aged 20 to 45 undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy — a standard keyhole procedure to remove the gallbladder. Patients who listened to soft piano or flute melodies while under general anesthesia required lower doses of propofol and fentanyl. They also showed more stable blood pressure and reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
“The auditory pathway remains active even when you’re unconscious,” said Dr Sonia Wadhawan. “You may not remember the music, but the brain registers it. Although the patient is unconscious and will remember nothing, their body still reacts to the stress with changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones.”
The study’s findings point to potential benefits in using less opioid-based medication, allowing patients to wake up faster and with fewer side effects. Researchers hope the practice could eventually support quicker post-operative discharge.
“We’re only beginning to explore how the unconscious mind responds to non-pharmacological interventions like music,” added Dr Farah Husain. “It’s a way of humanising the operating room.”
The results also raise deeper questions about the unconscious mind’s ability to register positive experiences during surgery, even without conscious memory.
Read the full study here.
