Effects of Operating Room Noise Management on Intraoperative Somatosensory Evoked Potential Stability and...

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of operating room (OR) noise management on intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) stability and postoperative pain management among patients undergoing spinal surgery.

A retrospective study was conducted on 158 patients undergoing spinal surgery between March 2023 and December 2024. Participants were stratified into high-noise exposure (conventional OR environment, n = 78) and low-noise exposure groups (noise-controlled OR environment, n = 80) based on implemented noise management protocols. Noise exposure levels, intraoperative SSEP parameters (latency, central conduction time (CCT), peak amplitude, and signal-to-noise ratio), postoperative pain scores measured using a visual analog scale, analgesic consumption, patient satisfaction measured by Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18, functional recovery assessed by Spine Functional Index-25, and recovery outcomes were compared between groups.

The high-noise exposure group had significantly impaired SSEP stability with increased prolonged SSEP latencies and CCTs than the low-noise exposure group (P < 0.001). The high-noise exposure group demonstrated significantly higher postoperative pain scores, increased analgesic consumption, prolonged hospital stays, and lower patient satisfaction scores (all P < 0.001). Although functional impairment was greater in the high-noise group at discharge (P < 0.001), both groups achieved comparable functional recovery at 1-month follow-up (P > 0.05). Postoperative complications showed no significant difference between the groups (P > 0.05).

Management of OR noise is associated with improved intraoperative SSEP monitoring stability and reduced postoperative pain in spinal surgery patients. Noise-controlled environments may enhance early recovery without affecting complication rates. Results support the implementation of systematic noise reduction protocols in perioperative care.