The impact of musical intervention on pain and anxiety levels during percutaneous nephrostomy tube replacement: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: Percutaneous nephrostomy tube replacement (PNTR) is a significant and frequently performed outpatient urological procedure. Patients undergoing this procedure often experience pain and anxiety. Various non-pharmacological methods are currently utilized to alleviate pain and anxiety. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of music on pain and anxiety during PNTR . Materials and Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in patients undergoing PNTR at Loei Hospital from May 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023. A total of 104 patients were randomly assigned to two groups: group 1, where patients did not listen to music during the procedure, and group 2, where patients listened to their preferred choice of music. Demographic data, vital signs, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain levels, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State Anxiety (STAI-SA), and willingness to repeat procedures were compared. Results: The VAS pain scores in the music group were significantly lower than in the non-music group during and after PNTR (2.5 vs 5, p < 0.005 and 0 vs 3, p < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, the STAI-SA levels in the music group were significantly lower post-procedure (32.98±5.61 vs 39.98±6.18, p < 0.001), and the willingness to repeat the procedure was significantly higher (41 vs 22, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that listening to a preferred choice of music during PNTR has the potential to reduce pain, and anxiety, and increase the willingness of patients to repeat procedure. The intervention of music serves as a cost-effective, safe, and side effect-free non-pharmacological approach to facilitate patient outcome in PNTR.