The effect of music on ketamine induced emergence phenomena

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the influence of music on emergence phenomena after ketamine anaesthesia. Fifty ASA 1 patients undergoing minor gynaecological procedures were randomly divided into two equal groups. Patients in the treated group were played music of their choice through headphones from 5 min before induction of anaesthesia to 15 min postoperatively. Although the incidence of emergence phenomena was similar in both groups the effects tended to be more pleasant and acceptable in those to whom music was played. The majority of patients in the study group (80%) expressed their willingness to have a similar anaesthetic in the future compared to 52% in the control group (p less than 0.05).