Patients listening to their favorite music required much less sedation during surgery than did patients who listened to white noise or operating room noise, according to a School of Medicine study published in May.
The senior author, Dr. Zeev Kain, professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, says previous studies have shown that music decreases intraoperative sedative requirements in patients undergoing surgical procedures under anesthesia. He wanted to know if the decrease resulted from listening to music or eliminating operating room noise.
The study included 36 patients at Yale-New Haven Hospital and 54 patients at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. The subjects wore headphones and were randomly assigned to hear music they liked or white noise or to wear no headphones and be exposed to operating room noise. Dropping a surgical instrument into a bowl in the operating room can produce noise levels of up to 80 decibels, which is considered very loud to uncomfortably loud.
What the researchers found is that blocking the sounds of the operating room with white noise did not decrease the patients' sedative requirements, while playing music did reduce their need for sedatives during surgery.
"Doctors and patients should both note that music can be used to supplement sedation in the operating room," Kain says.
The lead author was Dr. Chakib Ayoub, with co-authors Dr. Laudi Rizk, Dr. Chadi Yaacoub and Dr. Dorothy Gaal of the University of Beirut Medical Center. The study was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants.
-- By Jacqueline Weaver
T H I S
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
Yale committed to offering overseas opportunities to all undergraduates
Project funded by Class of 1957 is adding music education . . .
International festival marks 10th year of arts & ideas
Student writer's works cast light on injustices
COMMENCEMENT 2005
Yale celebrates its newest graduates with pomp
Baccalaureate Address
Honorary Degrees
Commencement 2005 Photo Gallery
ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPSOutgoing SOM dean named to Trippe chair
Andrews to hold Koopmans post
Glazer appointed to Hunter chair
Hayes designated as Weis Professor
Morris to assume Fisher chair
Study: More students expelled in preschool than in later years
Team sheds light on RNA quality-control system
Music linked to decreased need for sedation
Biologists successfully extract and analyze DNA from extinct lemurs
Law deanship endowed with Goldman family gift
Harvey Goldblatt is reappointed as Pierson master
Radio interview leads Ruff to a 'magical' discovery
Head coach post endowed in honor of late Yale tennis star
Swimmer donates Olympic gold to alma mater
Tsunami-causing earthquake yields new data about Earth's core
Children develop cynicism at an early age, says study
'Lost' papers of journalist noted for her stories on Russian Revolution . . .
All hail Hale!
New risk assessment program will provide early genetic screening
Works by young playwrights to be staged as part of Drama School project
Internationally renowned tenor joins the faculty as voice teacher
Workshop explores chronic disease prevention
MacMicking named a Searle Scholar for infection research
Elimelech garners Clarke Prize for water research
Congresswoman to speak at benefit gala for cancer research
Student Awards and Fellowships
Search committee named for School of Music dean
Memorial to honor Dr. Alvin Novick
Campus Notes
Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News
Bulletin Board|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines
Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs|News Releases|
E-Mail Us|Yale Home