Effect of music during general anesthesia on anesthetic consumption during vitrectomy surgery

Background: Controversy remains about the positive role of music during general anesthesia and postoperative recovery. We, therefore, tested the hypothesis that intraoperative exposure to classical music reduces the propofol necessary to maintain the bispectral index (BIS) close to 50 during vitrectomy surgery.
Materials and Methods: This double-blind clinical study is evaluating 50 patients undergoing vitrectomy surgery under general anesthesia. Patients were randomly assigned to music and white noise groups, and relevant sounds were played to patients after induction of anesthesia. The two groups were compared for the use of propofol as an anesthetic to maintain a BIS near 50 and for postoperative pain, anxiety, nausea, and vomiting.
Results: Propofol consumption to maintain the set BIS score was much lower in the music group than in the white noise group (78.72 ± 25.76 microgram/kg/min and 117.91 ± 36.78 microgram/kg/min, respectively, P-value = 0.000). Postoperative pain scores were also much lower in the music group than in the white noise group (P-value = 0.000) and anxiety levels between these two groups did not differ (P-value = 0.870). No patient in the music group had complaints of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) compared to six patients in the white noise group (P-value = 0.011).
Conclusions: Listening to music during general anesthesia for vitrectomy surgery can reduce the use of anesthetics, postoperative pain, and PONV. Further, controlled studies are necessary to confirm our results.