Music-Based Intervention in Postoperative Lung Transplant Care: A Feasibility Study

Music-based interventions may support recovery in medical and surgical settings; however, their implementation during the immediate postoperative period following lung transplantation remains understudied. This single-center randomized feasibility study examined whether a structured music-based intervention delivered by board-certified music therapists could be implemented at clinically meaningful postoperative recovery milestones and explored preliminary trends in pain, anxiety, medication use, sleep, and length of stay. Twenty-nine adult lung transplant recipients (experimental n = 17, control n = 12) were enrolled between September 2021 and September 2023. Participants in the intervention group received music-based intervention sessions during spontaneous awakening trials, 24-48 hr following extubation, and within 72 hr of transfer from the intensive care unit to a step-down unit. Intervention components included patient-preferred live music, music-assisted relaxation, and optional receptive or active music engagement tailored to patient status. Intervention delivery was feasible across all three postoperative milestones, although challenges related to recruitment, retention, sleep measurement, and intervention standardization were identified. Exploratory analyses suggested lower observed pain scores and lower median acetaminophen use in the intervention group compared to standard care; however, no outcomes reached statistical significance. Anxiety outcomes did not differ between groups, and sleep measurement using consumer-grade wearable devices was not feasible. These findings support the feasibility of music-based interventions during postoperative lung transplant recovery and provide guidance for the design of future adequately powered trials using refined outcome measures, milestone-based intervention delivery, and improved implementation strategies.