Music enters the surgical space
Surgeons in Delhi prepare to remove a woman’s gallbladder while soft flute music flows through her headphones. She lies under general anaesthesia, a mix of drugs that induces deep sleep, blocks memory, relieves pain and relaxes muscles. Her auditory pathway remains partly active despite the medication. She will wake faster and clearer because she needs less propofol and fewer opioid painkillers than patients who hear no music. A peer-reviewed study from Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Hospital presents these findings. The journal Music and Medicine publishes the work and highlights how music reduces drug use and supports recovery.
Why anaesthesiologists turn to music
The study focuses on laparoscopic gallbladder removal, a short procedure that demands quick, clear recovery. Dr Farah Husain, senior anaesthesiologist and music therapist, explains the aim. She wants early discharge with patients waking alert, oriented and ideally pain-free. Good pain control limits the stress response. Achieving that requires several drugs that maintain sleep, block pain, erase memory and relax muscles. Many teams add regional nerve blocks to numb the abdominal wall. Dr Tanvi Goel, primary investigator, says this approach has long been routine.
Stress continues beneath anaesthesia
The body still reacts during surgery. Heart rate rises, hormones surge and blood pressure climbs. Reducing this reaction is a core aim of modern care. Dr Husain stresses that unmanaged stress slows recovery and heightens inflammation. Stress often begins during intubation, when a laryngoscope lifts the tongue to expose the vocal cords so a tube can be placed. Dr Sonia Wadhawan, director-professor of anaesthesia, calls this the most stressful moment of general anaesthesia. She notes that unconscious patients still show strong vital-sign changes at this stage.
Modern drugs shape surgical comfort
Anaesthesia drugs have changed greatly over time. Old ether masks are gone. Intravenous agents now dominate. Propofol is preferred for short surgery because it acts quickly and clears fast. Dr Goel says propofol takes effect in about twelve seconds. It avoids the lingering effects linked to inhaled gases. The research team wanted to see how music influenced the need for propofol and fentanyl. Lower drug doses allow faster awakening, steadier vital signs and fewer side effects.
How the study was designed
A small pilot with eight patients led to an eleven-month study with 56 adults aged 20 to 45. Researchers randomly assigned participants to two groups. Both groups received the same drug mix: anti-nausea medicine, a sedative, fentanyl, propofol and a muscle relaxant. All patients wore noise-cancelling headphones, but only one group heard music. Dr Husain offered calm flute or soft piano pieces. She explains that parts of the brain remain active even in deep sleep. Patients do not recall the music, yet their brains still detect it.
Clear benefits appear in the results
The findings surprised the team. Patients who heard music needed less propofol and less fentanyl. They recovered more smoothly and showed lower cortisol levels. Their blood pressure stayed steadier during surgery. The researchers argue that the ability to hear remains intact, so music shapes the brain’s internal state. Dr Wadhawan says the auditory pathway stays active despite unconsciousness. Patients never remember the melodies, but the brain still receives them.
The sleeping mind still responds
Scientists have long explored awareness under anaesthesia. Rare cases show patients recalling faint sounds from operations. If the brain registers stressful noise, it may also register calming sound. Music may offer comfort without conscious memory. Dr Husain believes researchers are only beginning to explore non-drug tools like music. She sees music as a way to make the operating room more humane.
A gentle shift in surgical practice
Music therapy already supports psychiatry, stroke recovery and palliative care. Its arrival in anaesthesia marks a quiet change. A simple measure that modestly lowers drug use may improve surgical wellbeing. The team now plans a study on music-guided sedation. Their early findings highlight one clear idea. Even when the body lies still and the mind sleeps deeply, calm notes may help healing begin.
