Effect of Music on Patients' Anxiety During Lower Limb Arthroplasty Procedures Under Spinal Anaesthesia

Effect of Music on Patients' Anxiety During Lower Limb Arthroplasty Procedures Under Spinal Anaesthesia

The aim of this study is to compare the effect of listening to music, to a control group (no music), on peri-operative anxiety using the validated VAS-A, in patients undergoing lower limb arthroplasty procedures under spinal anaesthesia.

Music is becoming an increasingly popular adjunct to traditional medical therapies. International studies have shown the numerous benefits of music in a medical setting. Music has been used effectively to decrease patients' anxiety under neuraxial anaesthesia for caesarean section. There is currently a lack of evidence supporting the use of music to reduce patients' anxiety under neuraxial anaesthesia for lower limb arthroplasty procedures. The worldwide growth of the ageing population has led to an increased demand for arthroplasty. It is imperative that the anaesthetic technique used for this procedure is both safe and is associated with high levels of patient satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of music, to a control, on peri-operative anxiety in patients undergoing lower limb arthroplasty procedures under spinal anaesthesia.

Inclusion Criteria:

• all patients, aged 18 years and older,
• American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) class I, II or III,
• patients undergoing primary hip or knee arthroplasty surgery under spinal anaesthesia,
• patients with the mental capacity to consent to the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients with significant visual or hearing loss,
• patients with any contra-indications to spinal anaesthesia,
• patients with any contra-indications to moderate sedation including moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea (indicated by a "STOPBANG" score of 5-8) (46),
• patients with pre-existing diagnosed anxiety disorders or other serious mental disturbances,
• revision arthroplasty (this may require deviation from the standardised anaesthetic technique used for this trial),
• anxious patients who cannot be reassured and require additional anxiolytic agents.