Music enters the operating room
Surgeons in Delhi prepare to remove a woman’s gallbladder while soft flute music plays through her headphones. She lies under general anaesthesia, a mix of drugs that induces deep sleep, blocks memory, relieves pain and relaxes muscles. Her auditory pathway stays partly active despite the medication. She will wake faster and clearer because she needs less propofol and fewer opioid painkillers than patients who hear no music. A peer-reviewed study from Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Hospital reports these results. The journal Music and Medicine presents the findings and shows how music helps reduce drug use and improve recovery.
Why anaesthesiologists choose music
The research focuses on laparoscopic gallbladder removal, a short procedure that requires quick and clear recovery. Dr Farah Husain, senior anaesthesiologist and music therapist, explains the aim. She wants patients to wake alert, oriented and ideally pain-free. Effective pain control limits the stress response. Achieving that balance requires multiple drugs that maintain sleep, block pain, erase memory and relax muscles. Many teams add regional nerve blocks to numb the abdominal wall. Dr Tanvi Goel, primary investigator, says this combined method has long been standard practice.
Stress stays active under anaesthesia
The body reacts strongly during surgery even in deep sleep. Heart rate increases, hormones surge and blood pressure rises. Reducing this stress reaction is central to modern surgical care. Dr Husain notes that unmanaged stress slows recovery and increases inflammation. Stress often begins during intubation, when a laryngoscope lifts the tongue to expose the vocal cords so a breathing tube can be placed. Dr Sonia Wadhawan, director-professor of anaesthesia, calls this the most stressful moment of general anaesthesia. She says unconscious patients still show intense shifts in vital signs during this phase.
Modern drugs shape the surgical flow
Anaesthesia drugs have changed greatly. Old ether masks have disappeared. Intravenous agents now dominate. Propofol is preferred for short procedures because it acts fast and clears quickly. Dr Goel says propofol takes effect in about twelve seconds. It avoids the lingering effects linked to inhaled gases. The team wanted to evaluate how music affected the need for propofol and fentanyl. Lower drug doses lead to faster awakening, more stable vital signs and fewer side effects.
How the study worked
A pilot with eight patients grew into an eleven-month study of 56 adults aged 20 to 45. Researchers randomly placed participants into two groups. Both groups received the same drug combination: anti-nausea medicine, a sedative, fentanyl, propofol and a muscle relaxant. All patients wore noise-cancelling headphones, but only one group heard music. Dr Husain offered soft flute or gentle piano pieces. She explains that parts of the brain remain active even in deep sleep. Patients do not remember the music, but the brain still detects it.
Results point to clear benefits
The findings impressed the team. Patients who heard music needed less propofol and less fentanyl. They recovered more smoothly and showed lower cortisol levels. Their blood pressure stayed steadier throughout the procedure. The researchers argue that hearing remains active, so music influences the brain’s internal state. Dr Wadhawan says the auditory pathway still functions even when patients are unconscious. They do not recall the tunes, yet their brains respond to them.
The unconscious mind still reacts
Scientists have long explored awareness under anaesthesia. Rare cases show patients remembering faint sounds from surgery. If the brain absorbs stressful noise, it may also take in calming sound. Music may provide comfort without forming conscious memory. Dr Husain believes the field is still opening. She sees music as a simple way to humanise the operating room.
A quiet shift in surgical care
Music therapy already supports psychiatry, stroke rehabilitation and palliative care. Its growing role in anaesthesia marks a subtle change. A low-cost measure that modestly lowers drug use may enhance surgical wellbeing. The team now plans a study on music-guided sedation. Their early results point to one idea. Even when the body lies still and the mind sleeps deeply, gentle notes may help healing begin.
