Music while you wait. Patient acceptance of music in the preanesthetic period

A series of 184 premedicated patients were studied to determine whether music could make the immediate waiting period before surgery more comfortable. Selected music at a known noise level was being played by a tape recorder in a waiting room with open doors within the operating department. After the operation patients were asked about their impressions. A favourable result was obtained in 96.8% of the patients, i.e. 52.2% positively satisfied, 22.3% neutral and 22.3% not noticing the music. The negative impressions were mostly emotional or perhaps due to an adverse reaction to a premedication constituent: dehydrobenzperidol. The authors recommend the use of music while you wait for surgery. (Acta anaesth. belg., 1980, 31, 61-67).