title: Is there a role for music in reducing anxiety in plastic surgery minor operations?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is well documented that music plays a role in reducing anxiety levels. Its role in reducing intra-operative anxiety levels in surgical patients while awake is less well known. We report the effects of music on intra-operative patient anxiety in both the elective and  trauma plastic surgical setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of patients undergoing local anaesthetic surgical procedures were identified: those where music was played in the operating theatre (Group 1) and those where it was not (Group 2). Ninety-six patients were included. Subjectively anxiety was  evaluated by the patient with a visual analogue scale (VAS) and objectively by the respiratory rate (RR), both pre and post-operatively. The unpaired t-test was used to evaluate the statistical significance of differences between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean pre-operative VAS score was similar  in both groups (5.7 in Group 1 and 5.8 in Group 2). The mean pre-operative RR was 15 breaths per minute in both groups. Post-operatively, the VAS score and RR were both lower in Group 1 (VAS: 3.5 vs 4.9; p<0.01 and RR: 11 vs 13 breaths per minute; p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the era of the patient centred approach to clinical care, it is crucial to minimise patient anxiety. Music appears to reduce intra-operative anxiety in awake patients in both the elective and trauma plastic surgical setting. Easy listening music and chart classics appear to be suitable  genres according to patients. We believe there is a role for a large, multicentre, randomised control study to examine the benefits of music in all local anaesthetic procedures across different specialties.
authors.affiliation: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK. hazim.sadideen@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sadideen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dobbs
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pay
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Critchley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013511:Minor Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D009147:Music Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult