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, eases pain and relaxes muscles. Her auditory pathway remains 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 describes these effects. The journal Music and Medicine publishes the findings and highlights how music supports smoother recovery.
Why anaesthesiologists use melody
The study examines laparoscopic gallbladder removal, a short operation that demands fast, clear recovery. Dr Farah Husain, senior anaesthesiologist and music therapist, explains the goal. She wants early discharge with patients waking alert, oriented and ideally pain-free. Strong pain control reduces the stress response. Achieving that balance requires several drugs that maintain sleep, block pain, erase memory and relax muscles. Many teams also add regional nerve blocks to numb the abdominal wall. Dr Tanvi Goel, primary investigator, says this combined approach has been standard for years.
Stress remains active under anaesthesia
The body still reacts during surgery. Heart rate rises, hormones surge and blood pressure climbs. Reducing this internal reaction is a key aim of modern surgical care. Dr Husain stresses that uncontrolled stress slows recovery and increases inflammation. Stress often begins during intubation, when a laryngoscope lifts the tongue to reveal 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 notes that unconscious patients still show clear changes in vital signs during this step.
Modern drugs guide the process
Anaesthesia drugs have evolved. Old ether masks have disappeared. Intravenous agents now dominate. Propofol remains the preferred option for short surgery because it acts quickly and clears fast. Dr Goel says propofol takes effect in about twelve seconds. It avoids the lingering effects caused by inhaled gases. The team wanted to learn how music influences the need for propofol and fentanyl. Lower doses lead to faster awakening, steadier vital signs and fewer side effects.
How the trial was structured
A small pilot with eight patients led to an eleven-month study with 56 adults aged 20 to 45. Researchers randomly assigned participants to two groups. Both groups received the same drug mix: 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 calm flute or soft piano pieces. She explains that some brain regions remain active even in deep sleep. Patients do not recall the music, but their brains still register it.
Results show a strong pattern
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 surgery. The researchers argue that hearing remains active, so music influences the brain’s internal state. Dr Wadhawan says the auditory pathway functions even when the patient is unconscious. Patients do not remember the melodies, yet their brains still react to them.
The unconscious mind still listens
Scientists have studied awareness under anaesthesia for decades. Rare cases show patients recalling faint sounds from surgery. If the brain absorbs stressful noise, it may also absorb calming sound. Music may offer comfort without forming conscious memory. Dr Husain believes this field is still in its early stages. She sees music as a simple tool that makes the operating room feel more humane.
A subtle shift in surgical care
Music therapy already supports psychiatry, stroke recovery and palliative medicine. Its growing use in anaesthesia marks a new direction. A low-cost measure that modestly reduces drug use may improve surgical wellbeing. The team now plans a study on music-guided sedation. Their early results share one message. Even when the body lies still and the mind sleeps deeply, soothing notes may help healing begin.
