Study: Relaxing Music Cuts Sedation Needed During Colonoscopy

Relaxing music can decrease the amount of patient-controlled sedation needed during colonoscopy, according to researchers at the North District Hospital, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong.

Researchers followed 165 patients scheduled to undergo elective colonoscopy, giving them one of three different methods of sedation for the procedure.

Group 1 received a combination of music and patient-controlled sedation using a mixture of propofol and alfentanil, Group 2 received only patient-controlled sedation, and Group 3 received music alone with diazemuls and meperidine given by IV if requested by the patient.

A portable compact disc player with headphones was used to deliver the music to the patient. The amount of patient-controlled sedation, complications, recovery time, pain score, satisfaction score and willingness to repeat the procedure with the same method of sedation were evaluated.

The amount of patient-controlled sedation in Group 1 was significantly less than in Group 2. The majority of patients in Group 1 were willing to repeat the same method of sedation when asked immediately after the procedure and 24 hours later, which was significantly different from the responses of the other 2 groups,the researchers reported in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

"The combination of music and patient-controlled sedation was the best-accepted mode of sedation among 3 groups," concluded the researchers.

Other Sources: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy