Effect of Buddhist music on intraoperative and postoperative opioid requirements during general anesthesia: A...

Music therapy has been associated with reduce perioperative anxiety and pain, but evidence on intraoperative Buddhist music therapy during general anesthesia is limited. We conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled pilot study in 32 adults undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia, assigned to Buddhist music, mute (ambient noise insulation), or control group. Earbuds were applied after anesthetic induction, and the music intervention was continued throughout surgery. Outcomes included intraoperative and postoperative opioid (fentanyl) consumption, administration frequency, and postoperative pain intensity. Compared with the mute group, the music group had lower cumulative postoperative opioid use (p = 0.009) and fewer opioid administrations (p = 0.011). The music group also used less intraoperative opioid than controls (p = 0.003) and had fewer intraoperative opioid administrations than both mute (p = 0.013) and control (p = 0.003) groups. These preliminary findings suggest that Buddhist music may be a feasible and convenient adjunct to perioperative analgesia; larger, preferably stratified trials are required to confirm efficacy and mechanisms.