The Pros & Cons of Music in the OR

For many surgeons, stitching to the sound of their favorite soundtrack makes long hours in the OR bearable. But, is playing music during surgery best for everyone involved—including the patient and surgical team? Outpatient Surgery magazine recently reported on two individual studies that highlight the pros and cons of this common practice.   

The Pros

According to researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, surgeons who operate with music perform speedier surgeries with better stitches. Their findings were recently published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal.  For the study, plastic surgery residents were asked to stitch up pig feet on two separate days—one day performing the procedure with music and the next day performing it without. Their work was judged by plastic surgeons. Neither group knew the purpose of the study. The residents completed the procedure seven percent faster on the day they listened to music. They also showed improved stitching while listening to music by as much as 10 percent for senior residents and 8 percent for junior residents.

The Cons

Despite the obvious benefits to surgeon performance, a British study reveals that playing music during surgery may hinder communication with the surgical team and pose a risk to the patient. In that study, published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, researchers reviewed video footage of 20 different surgeries to see what role music played in the procedures. They found that surgeons were five times more likely to make repeated requests for surgical instruments in procedures where music was played. This delay in communication added the potential for frustration between staff and as much as one minute to total surgery time. The researchers also noted that in most cases surgeons were not working to a “background of smooth music.” Surgeons were often selecting rock or hip hop music with loud bass lines and playing them at volumes that made communication difficult. Even though those genres offer benefits to the surgeon, researchers noted they could be a distraction to someone else on the surgical team who is too intimidated to speak up.  

By understanding the cons of playing music in the OR, surgical facilities can develop policies that encourage surgical teams to agree on the type and volume of music played during a procedure. This open communication can help ensure that everyone benefits from the pros associated with having music in the OR. 

To learn more about the pros and cons of music, read more by following the links.