Effect of binaural beat music and noise cancelling headphones on intraoperative anxiety in patients undergoing spinal anaesthesia - A randomised controlled study

Noise, Distractions, and Hazards in the Operating Room

Anesthesiologists are perioperative leaders of patient and health care team safety. The anesthesiologist needs to remain vigilant in the perioperative setting and while caring for patients. The ability to navigate increased noise levels, distractions, and hazards is crucial for maintaining a safe environment. While some noise, such as music, can have benefits, overall noise levels can distract from patient care and have adverse effects on patient care and intraoperative staff. This study provides an overview of noise, distractions, and hazards in the perioperative environment.

Application of Noise Reduction Earplugs in Patients undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) need to tolerate the effects of noise.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 167 TKA patients at The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from April 2019 to April 2021. A total of 154 patients who met inclusion criteria were divided into the conventional noise reduction management group (CMG) and the noise reduction earplug group (EPG), following different management schemes. The CMG received routine noise reduction management after surgery, while the EPG used noise reduction earplugs based on the CMG. The clinical indexes of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

In this study, 79 patients were included in the CMG, and 75 patients were included in the EPG. The results showed that the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores of both groups 2 weeks after surgery were significantly lower than those before management (ZEPG = 5.995, ZCMG = 4.109, all P < 0.001), and the EPG exhibited a significantly lower PSQI score than the CMG (Z = -2.442, P < 0.05). Two weeks after surgery, the EPG had significantly lower levels of systolic blood pressure (ZSBP = -4.303) and diastolic blood pressure (ZDBP = -3.115), as well as lower scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A; ZHADS-A = -7.140) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression (HADS-D; ZHADS-D = -4.545) compared to the CMG (all P < 0.05). In addition, no significant correlation existed between the duration of wearing earplugs and the HADS-A and HADS-D scores (r = -0.201, r = -0.002, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Noise reduction earplugs can improve sleep quality and regulate negative emotions of patients undergoing TKA treatment through a complex mechanism involving noise, which is beneficial to the prognosis of the disease.