One-hour music intervention to improve the quality of recovery in female patients undergoing elective surgery after general anesthesia: A single-center randomized clinical study

This study determined whether a one-hour music intervention while patients were in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) could improve postoperative recovery for female patients. Single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial. Tertiary university hospital in China. 194 females aged 18-65 years scheduled for laparoscopic gynecological surgical procedures under general anesthesia. Patients were randomly assigned to receive therapist-selected music through earphones or wore earphones without listening to music. The primary outcome was State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; STAI-S and STAI-T subscales) scores. Secondary outcomes included post-operative quality recovery scale (PQRS) scores and other scales assessing pain and sleep quality, as well as serum glucose, lactate, and stress hormones levels, including adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortical hormone releasing hormone (CRH), cortisol, and aldosterone. Results from 188 patients were analyzed. Participants in both music and control groups had decreased STAI-S scores on the first and second postoperative days. The music group had a greater reduction in STAI-S scores than the control group (P < 0.001). The music group also had reduced agitation, pain intensity, and reliance on analgesics, as well as improved sleep quality compared to the control group. The control group had higher ACTH levels (P = 0.03) and cortisol levels (P = 0.003) than the music group. CRH, aldosterone, blood glucose, and lactate concentrations did not significantly differ between groups. Music intervention in PACU for female patients undergoing elective laparoscopic gynecological surgery under general anesthesia helped alleviate postoperative anxiety and enhanced the quality of postoperative recovery.