Surgery With Music

This Blog has Moved! Note new address and re-subscribe!

2010-04-10T20:33:00.002-04:00

Hello Friends and Fans of Surgical Serenity Headphones! I have moved this blogs and all it's associated widgets to www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com/surgery_blog. The "Blogger" version will remain but all new posts will be to the Wordpress blog housed on my website. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me!

As you've probably realized my focus is going more and more to music with surgery although every possible application of music in medicine is of great interest to me!

Here's to your good health through music!

Does Music Help with Anesthesia Process During Labor and Delivery?

2010-03-23T01:10:00.000-04:00

Anytime anesthesia is used in childbirth, whether local, regional or general, augmenting the effect by adding music to the picture will be beneficial. Especially in the case of childbirth, where the baby is also experiencing the anesthesia that mother receives, wearing the surgery headphones with calming, soothing music will be a plus!
Anesthetics: Options for Childbirth

Haven't got time for the pain? From total unconsciousness to spinals and blocks, traditional medicine offers a range of pain relief, each with its own benefits and drawbacks.

Anesthetics, substances that cause partial or complete loss of sensation, have long been the most common pain relief for labor and delivery. Here are the most commonly used anesthetics.

General and Regional Anesthesia During Childbirth

Decades ago, women were commonly put under general anesthesia, which quickly puts the entire body (and mind, of course) completely to sleep. It’s the same stuff you’d get — usually inhaled, although sometimes it is delivered intravenously, or through a combination of routes — if you were having open heart surgery or a kidney removed. Though it’s extremely safe, it is as extreme as it sounds, which is why general anesthesia isn’t used today for childbirth unless an emergency cesarean is required and there’s no time to give a regional anesthetic (like a spinal block). General anesthesia can also be required in a difficult vaginal breech birth, to deliver the baby’s head.

What general anesthesia does: If you have to have general anesthesia, expect to be totally knocked out for the entire birth. You’ll wake up groggy, disoriented, perhaps restless, and with a sore throat from the endotracheal tube (used to ensure that you don’t breathe the contents of your stomach into your lungs). You’ll also probably be rather queasy and may vomit, and will have sluggish bowels and bladder. The effects vary from person to person.

Just as you’re sedated temporarily (to get you through the delivery), so too will your baby be (temporarily). To reduce the effect, the anesthesiologist will try to put you out very close to your actual delivery, reducing the amount of drugs that get through your system and into the baby.

Epidural During Childbirth
Your baby won’t be affected by an epidural, the pain relief of choice for half of all laboring women (including both vaginal and cesarean) delivering at hospitals. An epidural is also an anesthetic, but it is injected directly into the spine (technically, into the epidural space, which is located between the ligament that sheathes the vertebrae and the membrane that covers the spinal cord), and so the drug bypasses the bloodstream — making it safer for your baby. In the past, there was some concern that an epidural might increase the likelihood of cesarean section (because it might prolong the labor), but recent studies dispute that notion.

How epidurals are administered: It’s not an instant shot; an anesthesiologist must administer an epidural through a thin catheter that is inserted into your back, and it could take 15 minutes (or longer) for the drugs to kick in. But it could be given to you as soon as you ask for one — no need to wait until you’re dilated a certain amount (like three or four centimeters) as used to be recommended. Studies now show that even an early epidural doesn’t increase the chances of C-section as was once believed.

You’ll first be put on an IV (the effect of the drugs can sometimes dramatically lower blood pressure; the fluids will keep it from going too low). You’ll then have to lie on your left side or sit leaning over a table or your coach, and your back will be swabbed with antiseptic. You’ll feel the prick of a local anesthetic, and then a large needle (which you won’t feel) will be inserted into the epidural space. Through that needle, the anesthesiologist inserts a catheter — the thin tubing that will be left behind (and taped to your back) and through which the drug is delivered. The needle is then removed and you’ll be able to lie down again. You’ll also have a catheter inserted into your urethra (the loss of lower body sensation from the procedure means you also will have no idea when you have to pee).

How epidurals make you feel: Once the epidural starts working, your entire lower body will feel numb, including the nerves of your uterus, so you won’t feel the pain of contractions (you’ll note the tensing of your uterus and some pressure). Some women have trouble pushing on an epidural (because they can’t feel their body or sense the peak of the contractions); others report no trouble. If you do find you’re having trouble pushing, you can ask to have the epidural turned off for the pushing part. Afterward, you might feel cold, experience numbness on one side of your body, and you’ll be a bit rubbery-legged.

Combined Spinal Epidural
Another epidural option is the combined spinal epidural, a type of epidural available only in some hospitals (ask your practitioner if it’s available in your hospital). The anesthesiologist starts the mom off with a shot of anesthetic directly into the spinal fluid to help relieve some pain, but because the anesthetic is only in the spinal fluid, the woman can still feel and use the muscles in her legs (which is why it’s also called a walking epidural). When the woman feels she needs more pain relief, more medication is placed into the epidural space (through a catheter that was inserted at the same time the spinal medication was administered).

Other Anesthetic Options for Childbirth

Other types of anesthetics you might get include a pudendalblock, which is injected into the perineal or vaginal area to reduce pain there (although you’ll still feel the full force of your contractions), a spinal block (for a cesarean delivery), or a low spinal or saddle block (for forceps assisted delivery or vacuum vaginal extraction). These are given as a simple shot into the fluid around the spinal cord. You’ll be numb, as with an epidural, and may feel queasy afterward. With a spinal, you’ll have to stay flat on your back for about eight hours after delivery.

source: http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/

Surgery Headphones Advisory Board has 1st meeting: 3/11/2010

2010-03-11T23:22:00.001-05:00

Tonight was an historical moment as my initial board of directors met! Many exciting proposals and ideas were put forth and plans were made for my appearance at the Louisville Venture Sharks presentation in April ! Earlier today I received a shipment of 50 new headsets that I will now program with my proprietary music for surgery. I'm expecting several waves of orders to come in soon from Mexico and California. I've gotten orders from 8 different states as well as Mexico. Of course some people are buying the digital download of the music only and putting it on their iPod. You can get the music at www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com/surgical_music. Exciting things on the horizon!

Surgical Headphones FAQ

2010-02-28T18:40:00.000-05:00

The headphones have been on the market for almost a year now and I'm selling them (and the download) primarily to individuals. Once the data is gathered and the proof of their efficacy is undeniable, I will begin marketing them to hospitals and surgical centers, in earnest.

What I've noticed so far is that certain questions come up over and over. I thought I would share them, and my response, with you now.

FAQ's for Surgical Headphones

1. Q. Why do I need to get your surgical headphones? Why can't I just use my iPod?

A. Of course you can use your iPod (if your surgeon agrees). The main reason to use my headphones is that there are no wires or cords to get in the way of medical devices being used and more importantly...the music has been especially chosen and sequenced by a clinical musicologist who has been studying what the best music for surgery is for 20 years!

2. Q How do the headphones fit on my head?

      A The headphones fit behind the neck and hook over the ears. Both earpieces are padded and the headset is very comfortable.

3. Q Can the headphones also be used at home?

     A. Absolutely! The headphones can be used anywhere, including outdoors, during exercise of any kind, or in bed.

4.   Q. Can I change the music on the headphones later if I want to put some of my favorite music on them?

      A. Yes you can. You can completely remove the surgery music or you can leave it there and add 6-8 more hours of your own favorite music for relaxation, energizing, exercising or whatever you wish.

5. Q. Will the headphones be sterilized before surgery?
     A. Your headphones will be brand-new when you receive them and won't need to be sterilized. You will probably try them out several times before your procedure to be sure you now how to turn them off and on as well as recharge them. You might want to wipe them down with a disinfectant before you arrive at the hospital, but nothing else is necessary!

6. Q. How soon should I order them before my procedure?
    A. It's a good idea to order them as soon as you know you're having surgery so that you can get familiar with them and even listen to the music numerous times. However, they are very easy to operate and all you really need to know is how to turn them on.

7. Q. How long will the music play?
     A. The music will play for 7-8 hours without needing to be recharged! The surgery track is about an hour long and will repeat continuously until they are turned off!

I'm sure there are many more questions you might have, and feel free to contact me through the comment option on this blog or from my website http://www.healingmusicenterprises.com/.

More research on benefits of live music during surgery

2010-02-19T16:45:00.000-05:00

Classical music played on a piano in the operating room for 115 patients having eye surgery at the former St. Francis Medical Center-Liliha had "profound" physical benefits, it was reported today.

The music lowered the patients' blood pressure and heart and respiratory rates before any sedation or pain medication, according to a paper in the Medscape Journal of Medicine, a Web resource for physicians of peer-reviewed medical journal articles.

Dr. Jorge Camara, a classically trained pianist and ophthalmologist, played music for patients before surgery as part of a study from May to August 2005 to demonstrate the medical benefits of music.

The classical and semi-classical pieces ranged from Debussy's "Arabesque No. 1 in E Major" and Chopin's "Etude in E Major, Op. 10 No. 3," to "The More I See You," by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon.

The patients, 49 to 79 years old, were having surgery for the first time. The study reports average decreases of 21 percent in their blood pressure, 8 percent in heart rate and 21 percent in breathing rate.

"This sentinel paper validates the growing evidence that listening to relaxing music has profound beneficial effects on the physiologic functions of the human body," said Camara, director of ophthalmology in the Department of Surgery, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

He believes it's the first study in which a surgeon performed on a piano in an operating room for patients before surgery.

When Camara began the project, Samuel Wong, former Honolulu Symphony music director, and Arthur Harvey, former University of Hawaii music professor and researcher, joined him in playing the piano for patients.

A total of 203 patients underwent ophthalmologic procedures when the piano was in the operating room, but 88 had no music played. The result was "a statistically significant increase of their mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate," the study found.

Co-authors of the paper, "The Effects of Live Classical Piano Music on the Vital Signs of Patients Undergoing Ophthalmic Surgery," are Joseph Ruszkowski, Kamehameha Schools music teacher, and Dr. Sandra R. Worak, a research fellow trained by Camara now working in the Philippines.

No complications were associated with the music, and patients "were very happy their doctor was playing the piano for them," Camara said in an interview.

He said Kahala painter Laurie McKeon, 57, one of the patients who heard live music, wrote about the experience, explaining how scared she was to have surgery and how the piano music made a huge difference.

She wrote: "The music soared above me, swirled around me. It penetrated through my pores, beyond my ears, past my mind and somehow, into my heart. I felt at peace. I felt safe. I felt like everything was going to be just fine. And it was."

Camara no longer has live piano music in his operating room but patients hear a recording of him playing the piano. He is past president of the Aloha Medical Mission and has given three piano concerts to benefit the organization at the Neil Blaisdell Concert Hall.

Citing growing interest in the medical benefits of music, he said, "So much more has to be studied," such as the effect on male versus female patients and rap music versus relaxing classical music. "This is only the beginning of a journey that will open our eyes to the wonderful potential of music for healing," he said.

By Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.com

The paper can be seen on www.medscape.com.

Medical Study in Sweden documents music's power before surgery

2010-02-15T21:31:00.000-05:00

Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2009 Jul;53(6):759-64. Epub 2009 Apr 14.

Relaxing music as pre-medication before surgery: a randomised controlled trial. Bringman H, Giesecke K, Thörne A, Bringman S. Department of Surgery, Södertälje Hospital, SE-152 86 Södertälje, Sweden.
INTRODUCTION: Patients who await surgery often suffer from fear and anxiety, which can be prevented by anxiolytic drugs. Relaxing music may be an alternative treatment with fewer adverse effects. This randomised clinical trial compared pre-operative midazolam with relaxing music.

METHOD: Three hundred and seventy-two patients scheduled for elective surgery were randomised to receive pre-operative prevention of anxiety by 0.05-0.1 mg/kg of midazolam orally or by relaxing music. The main outcome measure was the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI X-1), which was completed by the patients just before and after the intervention.

RESULTS: Of the 177 patients who completed the music protocol, the mean and (standard deviation) STAI-state anxiety scores were 34 (8) before and 30 (7) after the intervention. The corresponding scores for the 150 patients in the midazolam group were 36 (8) before and 34 (7) after the intervention. The decline in the STAI-state anxiety score was significantly greater in the music group compared with the midazolam group (P<0.001, 95% confidence interval range -3.8 to -1.8).

CONCLUSION: Relaxing music decreases the level of anxiety in a pre-operative setting to a greater extent than orally administrated midazolam. Higher effectiveness and absence of apparent adverse effects makes pre-operative relaxing music a useful alternative to midazolam for pre-medication.

Headphones for Labor and Delivery?

2010-02-11T16:22:00.000-05:00

Recently, several people have asked me about the possibility of have some of my pre-programmed surgical headphones programmed for labor and deliver. I think it's a great idea because it could keep the labor progressing. The phenomenon of musical entrainment is powerful and the body responds to the tempo and mood of any piece of music! I've always that Ravel's "Bolero" would be a good piece for labor and delivery. What do you think?

Dental Surgery Takes a Look at Surgical Serenity Headphones!

2010-02-03T23:28:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I’m traveling to Versailles, KY to speak to a group of 25-30 dentists about our Surgical Serenity Headphones and their value in dentistry! Ever since the headphones went on the market last March (www.surgicalheadphones.com) people have been saying “Oh, those would be great in a dentist’s office!”

Yes, the dentist chair is one of the most un-favorite places to find oneself. In dentistry, the headphones would serve multiple purposes. In addition to the relaxation effect that invariably is elicited, there’s also the fact that having on headphones will block and muffle the sound of the drill, one of the most unpleasant parts of the dental procedure.

As with so many procedures, just knowing that you have multiple choices for pain management is a huge plus, and with music, there’s no novocaine numbness to wear off and no gases or narcotics to put into your bloodstream!

Music and stress in children during general anesthesia and surgery

2010-01-27T23:35:00.000-05:00

Recently I came across this very interesting study and thought my readers would want to know about it. Music during surgery can help with ALL populations! This was done by Helena Bogopolsky.
Introduction

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The research I am about to present today has taken three years. Its goal was to reduce physiological and emotional stress in patients undergoing general anesthesia. The research questions were:

Is there audio perception when under anesthesia?

Can we find a parameter that would measure the physiological and biochemical effect of music under anesthesia?

As a resident music therapist in the children's surgery department of the Medical Center in Jerusalem, I witnessed the positive effects of music on the emotional state of pre- and post-operative children. These encounters gave me the incentive to research the effects music might have during the process of the surgery itself.

I speculated that playing music to children undergoing general anesthesia would help to reduce their psychological and physiological stress levels.

Let us begin with my first question and see what we know about hearing during general anesthesia:

Hearing and Memory Under General Anesthesia

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Lately, research has shown that people are able to hear and report what they heard while under general anesthesia (McCarron and Bonny, 1984).

How would you feel, if you were anesthetized during surgery and heard the following?

Just a moment! I don't like the patient's color. Much too blue.

Her lips are very blue. I'm going to give a little more oxygen. . . .

There, that's better now. You can carry on with the operation.

(Levinson, 1965:544)

Patients are not EXPECTED to be aware of events during anesthesia, and they are not EXPECTED to have any post-surgical memories of events that happened during anesthesia. However, despite these expectations, research (Levinson 1965, Gurman 2000) has shown that in many cases high level auditory processing (as is necessary for music perception) still exists for at least some patients undergoing general anesthesia. In addition, research shows that even if the patients cannot recall exactly what happened in the Operating Room, evidence of their experiences comes up in implicit memory tasks (Gurman 2000).

The implications of such reports are serious indeed. Patients may be at risk of psychological trauma that they not even aware of, or know the source of. In fact, research shows that of those patients who are aware during general anesthesia, 80% show symptoms compatible with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (Cundy and Dasey, 1996: 143). So, if nothing else, simply wearing headphones and being exposed to music rather than to stressful comments during the operation could have beneficial results.

However, we hypothesize that the administration of music during anesthesia has much deeper effects. These effects are related to music's ability to influence physical and psychological states.

Review of Literature

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Discussions about the influence of music on depression and pain have been around since at least the beginning of the 1800's. Some stories even go back to biblical times. Technological means for measuring results have only come recently. But we still do not know exactly what effect music has on the human body.

So What Do We Know Today?

We know the following effects which music has on the human body:

Physiological and Psychological Aspects:

First of all, we definitely know that music affects the limbic system which regulates deep emotions and many involuntary physical operations and reactions (pulse & blood pressure)

Second, music may alter pain perception and pain sensation.

Third, Music also assists in reducing stress levels:

In the light of the effects mentioned above, it is reasonable to assume that music can provide a significant contribution in reducing stress during anesthesia.

Effects of Music on Patients Under Anesthesia:

A number of studies have shown positive effects of music on patients undergoing general anesthesia. However, there are still many questions unresolved.

Firstly, what are the tests or diagnostics available to measure emotional stress directly?

Secondly, would music have the same positive effects on children undergoing general anesthesia?

Stress caused by Hospitalization

As we know, hospitalization can be a traumatic experience. The experience of being cut off from home, surgery and treatment, creates a stressful reaction (Sekeles, 1996).

As mentioned before, surgery and anesthesia are physically stressful and can be measured scientifically. This contrasts with emotional stress, which is more difficult to define and to measure. In addition, doctors believe that the patients' emotional state is very important for their recovery.

How to measure emotional stress?

One of the first difficulties I faced was how to measure the emotional stress in children. Since only measurable results are valid, finding a measure for emotional stress was quite important. Such a parameter needs to be standardized, which is not always easy.

We decided to measure the level of Cortisol known as "the stress hormone".

Although stress isn't the only reason that cortisol is secreted into the bloodstream, it has been termed "the stress hormone" because it's also secreted in higher levels during the body's `fight or flight' response to stress, and is responsible for several stress-related changes in the body. (Elizabeth Scott)

Since we could not use blood tests for this research because of the Helsinki committee's limitations on intrusive procedures, we opted for measuring Cortisol levels in saliva.

Research Design

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In order to achieve standardization, my research concentrates on relatively simple eye operations. I investigate the effects of music on patients undergoing general anesthesia, for eye surgery, by comparing both the quality of the post-operative behavior and the biochemical levels of Cortisol - the stress hormone.

I begin by meeting with children ages 6 to18 in the preoperative preparation program. I let them know that they have the option of listening to music during the operation. If the child shows interest, I obtain written permission from the child, their parents and the medical staff. The child then brings their personal choice of music which was pre-selected in an interview before the operation.

During the operation, I supply the child with a set of specially designed earphones that do not interfere with the surgery. The music is turned on and adjusted to a level that does not exceed 65-70 dB (typical for experiments in music cognition).

In order to measure the effects of the music and to measure stress levels before, during and after the time of the operation, the saliva test is taken 3 times:

First, one day before the operation.

Second, immediately before anesthesia

Third, upon awakening from anesthesia after the operation.

Besides the saliva test, we used two additional and complementary scales in order to assess the patient's state.

The first scale was the 4-point Watcha Agitation Scale, which was applied when the child awoke from the anesthetic by the attending nurse, who reported the child's agitation level to the researcher.

As you can see on the 4-point Watcha Agitation Scale:

TABLE 1. 4-Point Agitation Scale - Watcha Relaxed

3

Crying but consolable

2

Crying inconsolably

1

Restlessness

0

The second scale was the Oucher Visual Pain Scale, which was also applied on awakening from the anesthesia

FIGURE 1. Oucher Visual Pain-Scale

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Subject Demographics

The research population included children between the ages of 6-18. This age range was selected so as to enable me to communicate with them freely. The children came from 4 different cultural backgrounds:

Secular Jews

Secular Arabs

Religious Jews

Religious Arabs

The patients' languages included Hebrew, Arabic, English and Russian.

In the case of Arabic speaking children, I invited the parents to assist in translation. In the case of Hebrew, English and Russian speaking children, I personally communicated with the children myself.

How was the music chosen?

My first thought was to choose relaxing music, for example ocean waves or classical pieces. In the end, however, I decided to let the child bring his or her favorite music because it gives them a sense of comfort and security.

By playing the child's favorite music during the operation, the music served as a "transitional object" (Winnicott, 1971), which helped to overcome unpleasant feelings and loneliness.

What type of music did the children want?

The interesting thing about their choice of music was its intensive tempo and rhythm. I will now play some examples of their choices.

As we have heard, their choice of music is far from "lullaby", but does contain some common features:

It is familiar

It is music they have at home

There is a singer

Fast rhythm and tempo

Results

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As the next table shows, the results, despite not being statistically conclusive, show that the music group's awakening was much more pleasant. We compared several categories as we see from the table

The most significant effect, 21 percent, appears in the comparative study of short operations (less than 65 minutes).

TABLE 2. Comparative Results of Quality of Awakening between Control Group and Music Group Description

Results

Conclusion

Study of the effect of music therapy on quality of awakening

The result shows an effect (11.9 %) of provided treatment on patients' awakeness. (student t-test, 0.1664)

Study of the effect of music therapy on quality of awakening in Jewish patients

The result shows an effect (15.3%) of the therapy on patients' awakeness for Jewish patients. (student t-test, 0.129). It is also important to note that there is no difference between the awakeness quality values for Jewish and general patients

Study of the effect of music therapy on quality of awakening after operation for Strabismus correction.

The result shows an effect (14.3%) of the therapy on patients' awakeness after Strabismus correction operation (student t-test, 0.187).

Study of the effect of music therapy on quality of awakening after short time (less 65 min) operations.

The result shows a significant effect (21%) of the therapy on patients' awakeness after short time operations (student t-test, 0.081).

Study of the effect of music therapy on quality of awakening for both genders

The result shows an effect of the therapy on patients' awakeness for boys (15.6%) and girls (13.6%) (student t-tests, 0.155 and 0.213, comparatively).

It is also interesting to mention that the studied girls show better post-operative awakeness capability in both, control (17.3%, t-test 0.205) and treated (15.4%, t-test 0.17), groups.

FIGURE 2. Salivary cortisol test

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This table shows the results of the cortisol test. The first time checkpoint was one day before surgery; the second checkpoint was one hour before surgery, and the third checkpoint was one hour after surgery. As we can see, the results are not statistically conclusive, but they do show a clear tendency in favor of the music group.

CONCLUSIONS

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Initially, I thought that measuring the effects of music would be simple. That I would play music to patients, measure their stress levels, and immediately see the benefits that music gave. It turned out that the process was much more complicated. Factors such as the depth of anesthesia, levels of emotional stress, standardizing, and measuring results have all added to the complexity of the experiment. Apart from that, the experiment lacked the optimal infrastructure necessary for a clinical study in the field. And in addition, we discovered during our work that testing for cortisol is a non-routine test and has no acknowledged base line. Nor did we take into account the fact that cortisol levels fluctuate during the day. They can be high in the morning and lower later on, and the cortisol tests we carried out were on children whose surgery was scheduled at different times of the day.

It should be noted that, for technical reasons, the number of subjects tested for cortisol levels was limited, which should be taken into account in future experiments and the number increased. We also felt that objective tests of cortisol and awakening quality should be complemented by subjective psychological tests such as questionnaires. We did not use questionnaires in this study, but in conversations a week after surgery the importance of providing emotional support by means of music for children and their parents was clear.

It is certainly clear from the above that future research should include the use of questionnaires which give insight into subjective experiences and complement the objective use of cortisol.

Finally, I should say that the most important thing my research has shown me is that despite the lack of statistically conclusive results in the physiological and biochemical test I stay convinced more than ever, that music is an effective means for lowering stress in children during general anesthesia and surgery.

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References of this conference paper can be obtained by the author

This article can be cited as:

Bogopolsky, H. (2007) Music and stress in children during general anesthesia and surgery. Music Therapy Today Vol.VIII (3) December. available at http://musictherapyworld.net

What investors are saying about Surgical Serenity Headphones

2010-01-15T23:48:00.000-05:00

I met with all of my investors this past week and they all have really dynamite ideas for ways to move the Surgical Serenity Headphones into the mainstream. All of these men are extremely successful business men who have bought and sold hundreds of businesses. One of the suggestions was to make contact NOW with major manufacturers of medical devices. Through the program LinkedIn I have been able to do that! The world of the internet never ceases to amaze me with all the possibilities for networking with people.

A different investor simply gave me testimonial after testimonial. He has had numerous surgeries in the past and hates pain he said (among other things) "Dr. Cash, if you can prevent me from feeling as much pain, requiring so much anesthesia and help me to relax and calm down with your special music, then please send me some immediately!" He said I could even give his name...Bill Ferko.

It seems that all the investors are pretty excited about the potential of these headphones to be accepted by hospitals, surgeons and anesthesiologists around the world. It seems logical to me because calming your mind and body before surgery with music and stabilizing your heart rate and breathing during surgery with steady, instrumental music can only improve the entire procedure, increase safety be decreasing the amount of anesthesia needed and allow the patient to recover faster, be discharged sooner and incur few expenses.

I fully intend to have a charity arm of the organization to provide headphones to those who can't afford them, but ideally I'd like to gather enough research documenting the benefits of the headphones so that insurance companies will not only cover them, but require them.

I'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions about all the above. Thanks!

Talks with Mayo Clinic have begun!

2010-01-05T14:15:00.000-05:00

Let me start out my saying that this is not going to be a quick happening but at least it has begun! I talked with my second "official" person at Mayo Clinic today about the possibility of getting my headphones in use there. They are already definitely in favor of people using music before, during and after their surgery but are not aware of my self-contained, wireless, pre-programmed headphones. I'm awaiting calls now from two people who might be in a position to make a decision or at least a decision to gather more information.

In the meantime, if you have not seen the latest info at http://www.surgeryheadphones.com/, please go there NOW and find out how beneficial and even potentially life-saving, music with surgery can be!

Will continue to keep you posted!

Another first-person account of music during surgery!

2009-12-31T19:21:00.002-05:00

Jane Zellmer was anxious about her second knee replacement surgery.

The first surgery on her left knee was done under general anesthesia. She said she doesn’t do well under general anesthesia, and she had a difficult time waking up and was nauseous the first time.

This time the 54-year-old Ettrick, Wis., woman wanted spinal anesthesia, which would allow her to be conscious while numbing her right knee.

Zellmer also chose music to help with her anxiety and make her relax. Mike Jacobson, a nurse anesthetist at Franciscan Skemp, had a library of music from which she could pick. She chose her favorite music, country, and a favorite artist, George Strait.

With her headphones on, she listened to Strait’s music during surgery.

“It was very calming listening to the music, and I was comfortable,” Zellmer said. “I was nervous about the spinal anesthesia, but the music helped me relax.

“I felt like I was lying in the sun with headphones on,” she said. “Music did its thing, and it was a place to go, something to escape into. The spinal anesthesia and music worked real well together.”

For several years, a number of hospitals, including Franciscan Skemp and Gundersen Lutheran, have offered music to patients during surgery. Zellmer heard about the use of music through a friend who listened to music during surgery at Gundersen Lutheran.

More and more hospitals are using music for patients because research is showing it helps reduce moderate pain and anxiety, and it might result in less sedation and faster recovery.

A Yale University showed patients listening to music required much less sedation during surgery. Another study showed listening to music helps minimize the rise in blood pressure associated with surgery. Researchers say the best results are likely to come from people being able to listen to the music of their own choice rather than being given music thought to be soothing.

For many years, surgery rooms have been filled with the sound of music selected by and for surgeons.

“Music often helps surgeons relax, and some like it for background music,” Jacobson said. “One surgeon likes very loud rock ’n’ roll.

“Patients have their own music option, but it’s the surgeon’s choice in the room,” he said. “I’ve never been asked what I want to hear, but I think whatever music helps the surgeon is a good choice.”

Dr. Mark Connelly, a Gundersen Lutheran facial plastic surgeon, has played music in his operating room for more than 25 years. He has a CD of Broadway show tunes, pop, country and classical music.

“The music is soothing, and it helps me relax,” Connelly said.

“Occasionally, the staff will sing along to ‘Stand By Your Man,’” he said. “Surgeons get to choose the music, but it’s nice when the operating group likes it.”

Jacobson is one of the DJs at Franciscan Skemp. He is in charge of a cart of CDs from which patients can choose, or they can bring in their own CDs.

“Some people like country, some like classical and some New Age, but more patients like soothing music,” Jacobson said. “Music does help calm the patient.”

Dr. Marisa Baorto, a Franciscan Skemp anesthesiologist, said music is used in conjunction with “conscious sedation,” such as spinal and regional anesthesia, for surgeries such as foot, carpal tunnel, knee replacement and breast biopsies.

Baorto said some pregnant women bring in their own music to listen to during labor.

“A lot of patients enjoy the music, and then they don’t have to hear what’s going on in surgery,” Baorto said. “Music helps them phase out and get less sedation.”

Jacobson said he can tell the difference in patients who enjoy the music.

“We can tell the patient is more calm,” Jacobson said. “I don’t think it is fluff. There are benefits to the patient, even some benefits during general anesthesia.”

Two Major Hospitals Now Recommend Music with Surgery

2009-12-30T23:36:00.000-05:00

In the past two months, both the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio have come out advocating music! The Mayo Clinic said:

"Research on the effectiveness of music therapy dates back to the 1920s, when a study reported individuals' blood pressure dropped when listening to music. Currently, our program is conducting a research study to measure the effects of music therapy on pain, anxiety and tension. As part of the Cardiovascular Surgery Healing Enhancement Program, rooms for cardiac surgery patients have music systems. A selection of CD music is available at each cardiac surgical unit. "

The Cleveland Clinic said:

"Research on music and the brain has shown that it can reduce stress, alleviate pain and promote relaxation. And new research from the Cleveland Clinic shows that music can even reach into deep brain structures unrelated to hearing and memory to literally soothe nerves.

Patients receiving deep-brain-stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and several other conditions have to be awake for much of the surgery to tell surgeons if their symptoms improve when electrodes are placed deep in their brains.

All of this is very exciting news to me as I am hoping to make my surgical headphones standard in hospitals around the world. Right now I am selling them online at http://www.surgicalheadphones.com/, but I hope eventually to sell them to hospitals so that they can give them to all surgical patients. Stay tuned! The big launch will be in 2010!

Cleveland Clinic researchers find music can have a soothing effect during brain surgery

2009-12-27T22:37:00.000-05:00

Cleveland Clinic researchers find music can have a soothing effect during brain surgery
By Brie Zeltner, The Plain Dealer

December 01, 2009, 12:01AM

Lynn Ischay, The Plain DealerDr. Damir Janigro, left, a neuroscientist at the Cleveland Clinic, found that melodic passages of music seemed to calm patients when played while they remainied conscious during deep brain stimulation. With Janigro, in this picture from 2007, is Italian cellist Umberto Clerici. They are holding the 1769 Guadagnini cello that belonged to Janigro’s father, the great Italian cellist Antonio Janigro, which Clerici has on loan.

If you've ever come home after a long day and turned on, say, Brahms to relax, or jacked up the volume on Queen's "We Are the Champions" to get psyched for a workout, you know that music can change your mood.

Research on music and the brain has shown that it can reduce stress, alleviate pain and promote relaxation. And new research from the Cleveland Clinic shows that music can even reach into deep brain structures unrelated to hearing and memory to literally soothe nerves.

Patients receiving deep-brain-stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and several other conditions have to be awake for much of the surgery to tell surgeons if their symptoms improve when electrodes are placed deep in their brains.

"I witnessed several hundred brain surgeries with awake patients, and I noticed that these patients were going through a very traumatic experience, much worse than a root canal, for hours, and yet they were wide awake. So they need to be conscious, but no one said that they have to be upset or bored."

Damir Janigro, Cleveland Clinic neuroscientist

Neuroscientist Damir Janigro took advantage of this conscious period to play clips of music for the patients to see what effect it had on their brain function and on their stress levels during the surgery, which can be many hours long.

Janigro decided to play music for these patients after his own experience in a noisy operating room this year. While being prepped for spinal surgery, he thought of how dentists often give patients headphones to listen to music or a TV to watch to ease anxiety.

"The reason why they do it -- I asked my dentist -- is because [the procedure is] easier, and you go home faster," Janigro said.

Janigro presented his findings Oct. 30 at the Music and the Brain symposium in New York. Janigro is one of many specialists who work in the Clinic's Arts and Medicine Institute, which is studying how the arts can be used to enhance healing.

Dirk Hoch, 52, of Delphi, Ind., agreed to participate in the music study without hesitation. Hoch is a former postal worker who had to retire in 2005 due to essential tremor, a neurological condition that causes involuntary shaking, particularly evident during voluntary movements like holding a fork.

During the April surgery, Hoch listened to different music clips and told Janigro how he felt.

Like all the other participants, about a dozen in this initial study, Hoch preferred the melodic music clips to the others. Janigro also offered purely rhythmic music and a clip that combined rhythmic and melodic music.

To eliminate the possibility of any emotional associations with the music related to memory, Janigro had Gregory Bonanno of the Cleveland Institute of Music compose the clips.

Hoch said the music was a welcome distraction from the pain of the halo-like metal clamp that held his head in place during the surgery.

"You were at ease and at peace with the surroundings, which, given the circumstances, is something," he said. "I mean, after all, they're drilling holes in your head and inserting electrodes. It just really made a huge difference."

Janigro and his team could see that difference at work in Hoch's brain.

When he and the other patients listened to the rhythmic music or the clip that was both rhythmic and melodic, the overactive firing in their subthalamic and thalamic neurons didn't change. These are the areas of the brain that control the surface cortex and are particularly important in movement.

During the melodic music clips, the firing in these areas slowed down, and Hoch and the other patients felt calmer.

It wasn't exactly what Janigro expected.

"It's strange because these are motor sensors, so you would expect that boom, boom, boom would have more of an effect -- the rhythmic music."

The next step for Janigro and his colleagues will be to find out if melodic music in the operating room has any effect on stress measures, like the amount of the stress hormone cortisol circulating in the blood or the amount of blood-pressure medication needed during the procedure.

Ultimately, Janigro hopes the musical intervention will mean patients heal faster.

"I bet you that they will go home sooner," he said. "That's the goal, really. Happy people don't stay in the hospital."

Music during Surgery: What the experts say

2009-12-24T00:06:00.000-05:00

“We trust that the magic of sound, scientifically applied, will contribute in ever greater measure to the relief of human suffering, to a higher development and a richer integration of the human personality, to the harmonious synthesis of all human “notes” of all “group chords and melodies” – until there will be the greater symphony of the One Humanity.”

Roberto Assagioli M.D.

Music can be employed as assistance in obtaining physical, emotional and spiritual health. During the first half of the nineties, I investigated the therapeutic consequences of distinct types of music on patients under adequate anaesthesia. This investigation was done in Johannesburg at the Garden City Clinic, over a period of four years (1991-1995), with statistics done at the Witwatersrand university, by dr. Jackie Galpin.

Data available on investigations done to test the therapeutic benefits of music, would fill a library of its own. That was not what was done. The effect of music with a known therapeutic value, was investigated on patients under adequate anaesthesia – testing for reduction in pain levels and a shorter recovery period. It is an accepted dictum in psychology that people in a deep sleep, coma or under anaesthesia can hear (not remember). That the auditory pathways up to the auditory cortex actually remain open and untouched by anaesthesia. That you can talk to people in a coma or undergoing surgery, and that the body would respond to whatever was said. In many hospitals, positive suggestions are given to patients in a coma and on the operating table. The capital aim of the project was to test music to serve as a credible alternative for the positive verbal suggestions.

Music has powerful effects on people, whether they are educated in music or not. Wertheim (1961) states that “muscle perception and performance is an inborn capacity of the human brain. This ability is common among human beings and is independent of education or culture…..” This makes the application of music as a therapy, or music as an aid to any other therapy, very simple.

Science, Medicine and Anthropology have completed many years of investigation on the effect of music on the physical body. As early as 1830, articles were published by J. Dogiel, which outlined experiments done to affirm music’s dynamic effect on the body. Absolute physiological reactions were established, and amongst other things, it was proved that music act on the circulation of blood, and can cause blood pressure to rise and fall. According to this, these alternations of pressure rely mainly on the influence which auditory stimulation has on the medulla oblongata and the auditory nerve.

During the first half of the previous century, many investigators throughout Europe agreed that music increases metabolism in a very adequate way, and that it changes muscular energy and enhances respiration.

The positive effects of music on physical and psychological health are truly widespread. In an article on music as cause of disease and healing agent, Assagioli (1965) states that “through its influence upon the subconscious, music can have a still more definite and specific healing effect of a psychoanalytic character. If of an appropriate kind, it can help in eliminating repression and resistance and bring into the field of waking consciousness many drives, emotions and complexes which were creating difficulties in the subconscious”.

It is known that certain kinds of music have the ability to reduce pain, whether it is physical or emotional. Scarantino (1987) states that “Pythagoras of Samos taught his students that certain musical sequences, chords and melodies produced definite responses in the human organism, and could change behaviour patterns that accelerated healing processes”

In a further discussion Scarantino states “In the 1970’s, Bulgarian researchers, under the direction of Dr. Georgi Lazanov, discovered a holistic approach to learning, that allows the body and mind to work in harmony through the linking of music and verbal suggestions…. While listening to largo movements from works of Baroque era composers, with tempos slower than the average heartbeat (sixty beats per minute or slower), the vital signs of test subjects slows down in rhythm with the music, relaxing them physically but leaving their minds alert for the assimilation of information. When the various educational data was presented to the students while the music played in the background, the students experienced significant increases in awareness and retention of information and a whole repertoire of health benefits, including relief from pain and headaches…..”

Pediatric Anesthesia: New Research Results

2009-12-09T14:22:00.004-05:00

Very interesting study done using music with pediatric surgery patients. School-aged children's experiences of postoperative music medicine on pain, distress, and anxiety STEFAN NILSSON RN, MSC*†, EVA KOKINSKY MD, PhD*, ULRICA NILSSON RNA, PhD‡, BIRGITTA SIDENVALL RN, PhD† AND KARIN ENSKÄR RN, PhD† *Department of Paediatric Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, The Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg , †Department of Nursing Science, School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping and ‡Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and Centre for Health Care Sciences, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden Correspondence to Stefan Nilsson, Department of Paediatric Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, The Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 416 85 Göteborg, Sweden (email: stefan.r.nilsson@vgregion.se). ABSTRACT Aim: To test whether postoperative music listening reduces morphine consumption and influence pain, distress, and anxiety after day surgery and to describe the experience of postoperative music listening in school-aged children who had undergone day surgery. Background: Music medicine has been proposed to reduce distress, anxiety, and pain. There has been no other study that evaluates effects of music medicine (MusiCure®) in children after minor surgery. Methods: Numbers of participants who required analgesics, individual doses, objective pain scores (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability [FLACC]), vital signs, and administration of anti-emetics were documented during postoperative recovery stay. Self-reported pain (Coloured Analogue Scale [CAS]), distress (Facial Affective Scale [FAS]), and anxiety (short State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI]) were recorded before and after surgery. In conjunction with the completed intervention semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. Results: Data were recorded from 80 children aged 7–16. Forty participants were randomized to music medicine and another 40 participants to a control group. We found evidence that children in the music group received less morphine in the postoperative care unit, 1/40 compared to 9/40 in the control group. Children's individual FAS scores were reduced but no other significant differences between the two groups concerning FAS, CAS, FLACC, short STAI, and vital signs were shown. Children experienced the music as 'calming and relaxing.' Conclusions: Music medicine reduced the requirement of morphine and decreased the distress after minor surgery but did not else influence the postoperative care.

Music Before Surgery Proven Effective

2009-12-06T22:58:00.005-05:00

Yet another medical research study has come out documenting that listening to calm, relaxing music before surgery can calm the patient better than powerful midazolam. Time to order those pre-surgery headphones: www.surgicalheadphones.com. Introduction: Patients who await surgery often suffer from fear and anxiety, which can be prevented by anxiolytic drugs. Relaxing music may be an alternative treatment with fewer adverse effects. This randomised clinical trial compared pre-operative midazolam with relaxing music. Method: Three hundred and seventy-two patients scheduled for elective surgery were randomised to receive pre-operative prevention of anxiety by 0.05–0.1 mg/kg of midazolam orally or by relaxing music. The main outcome measure was the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI X-1), which was completed by the patients just before and after the intervention. Results: Of the 177 patients who completed the music protocol, the mean and (standard deviation) STAI-state anxiety scores were 34 (8) before and 30 (7) after the intervention. The corresponding scores for the 150 patients in the midazolam group were 36 (8) before and 34 (7) after the intervention. The decline in the STAI-state anxiety score was significantly greater in the music group compared with the midazolam group (P<0.001, 95% confidence interval range −3.8 to −1.8). Conclusion: Relaxing music decreases the level of anxiety in a pre-operative setting to a greater extent than orally administrated midazolam. Higher effectiveness and absence of apparent adverse effects makes pre-operative relaxing music a useful alternative to midazolam for pre-medication. Relaxing music as pre-medication before surgery: a randomised controlled trial H. BRINGMAN 1 , K. GIESECKE 2,3 , A. THÖRNE 1,3 and S. BRINGMAN 1,3 1 Department of Surgery, 2 Department of Anaesthesia, Södertälje Hospital, SE-152 86 Södertälje, Sweden and 3 Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden Correspondence to Address: Sven Bringman Department of Surgery Södertälje Hospital SE-152 86 Södertälje Sweden e-mail: sven.bringman@ki.se This paper was presented as an oral presentation at the Swedish Surgical Week, Umeå, August 2008.

Can the surgical patient hear under anesthesia?

2009-12-04T23:01:00.004-05:00

One of the most frequent questions I get is "can a surgical patient really hear when they are under general anesthesia?" The answer is an unequivocal "yes." Patients awaken from surgery every day reporting that they remember conversations that they heard under anesthesia and they frequently report that they heard O.R. sounds related to drilling, hammering and sawing. The actions take place during joint replacements and other such surgeries. One of the benefits of having soothing music through headphones during surgery is that they block these kinds of noises out, in addition to entraining the heartbeat and breathing with surgery, thus necessitating less anesthesia. If you or someone you now is having surgery, you must go to www.surgicalserenity.com and order the surgical serenity headphones. Call or email me with any questions!

More Info on dangers of Propofol: use ONLY as directed

2009-11-25T09:27:00.005-05:00

LAS VEGAS—Michael Jackson's doctor bought a powerful anesthetic in Nevada and had it shipped to California, where it was found at the pop singer's bedside after he died, court documents released Friday show. Search warrant records released despite objections by Los Angeles police revealed that investigators found receipts in Dr. Conrad Murray's Las Vegas medical office showing he purchased the sedative propofol from Applied Pharmacy Services on May 12. The Los Angeles County coroner blamed propofol in ruling that the 50-year-old pop music icon's June 25 death was a homicide. The coroner also cited the sedative lorazepam. Murray, 56, a cardiologist licensed in Nevada, California and Texas, told police he used propofol along with other sedatives to help Jackson sleep. Propofol is usually used in medical settings by anesthesia professionals to render patients unconscious for surgery. Officials say it is not meant for use as a sleep agent. However, the milky liquid drug is not regulated by state and federal authorities as a controlled substance. Drug Enforcement Administration spokeswoman Sarah Pullen in Los Angeles said a doctor who is licensed in two states can buy propofol in one state and administer it in the other. Murray is the focus of a Los Angeles police homicide investigation, but has not been charged with a crime. Records show he obtained the propofol about the same time he was hired in May to accompany Jackson on a world tour. He told police he administered 50 milligrams of the drug intravenously per night to help Jackson sleep, but was trying to use less. In the warrant documents, investigators said Murray told them he gave propofol to Jackson in the hours before he died in a rented Los Angeles mansion. Through a spokeswoman, Murray maintains that he didn't prescribe or administer anything to Jackson that should have killed him. Murray's attorney, Edward Chernoff, issued a statement Friday saying he found no surprises in the newly released affidavit. "The fact that Dr. Murray ordered five bottles of propofol is consistent with what he told investigators," Chernoff said. The affidavit showed that authorities tracing the manufacturing lot numbers of propofol bottles found in Murray's medical bag and on Jackson's bedside table learned that Murray bought five, 100-milliliter bottles of the drug from the Las Vegas pharmacy as part of an order costing $853. He paid $65 extra to have it sent to him by overnight express, the document states. Authorities said the amount of the drug purchased did not appear improper, the fact that it was moved across state lines from Nevada to California was not illegal, and because propofol is not a controlled substance it would not be tracked. A veteran DEA investigator in Las Vegas, Jayne Tomko Griffin, said the five bottles of propofol could have provided 100 doses of 50 milligrams each. Los Angeles police fought to keep records of the Aug. 11 search sealed. A detective argued that releasing the documents before Jan. 18 would jeopardize the investigation. Attorneys representing The Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, TMZ Productions Inc. of Los Angeles and Stephens Media LLC, the parent company of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, argued there was no reason for the documents to remain secret. Clark County District Judge Valerie Adair decided Thursday to unseal the records. Her order was signed Friday.

Surgery with music now recommended at Mayo Clinic

2009-11-22T23:18:00.005-05:00

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN is one of the most highly esteemed medical facilities in the world. Imagine how thrilled I was to find that they strong recommend the use of healing music for patients having open heart surgery. Here is what they said: Patients scheduled for heart surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester will receive a brochure on the Healing Enhancement Program when they are admitted to the hospital. The brochure lists the healing enhancement therapies that are available. Patients and their family members are encouraged to discuss these complementary therapies with their cardiac medical team to determine which therapies may provide benefits during which treatment segments: prior to, during, or after patients' surgical procedures. Patients and families can select the therapies and coordinate with designated nurses to schedule the services. Therapy options include: •Massage •Music therapy •Relaxation therapies •Prayer What they suggest specifically for music is: Music Music therapy is a widely accepted and easily accessible method to promote relaxation and reduce tension, stress and anxiety. Because listening to music helps patients relax and feel less tense, it helps decrease pain, improve patients' moods and promote better sleep. Research on the effectiveness of music therapy dates back to the 1920s, when a study reported individuals' blood pressure dropped when listening to music. Currently, our program is conducting a research study to measure the effects of music therapy on pain, anxiety and tension. As part of the Cardiovascular Surgery Healing Enhancement Program, rooms for cardiac surgery patients have music systems. A selection of CD music is available at each cardiac surgical unit. We encourage patients to bring their own preferred music. Selections on hand include easy listening, relaxation, classical, country, and instrumental. Contemporary music with sounds of nature, such as birds chirping and water flowing, is also available. Music systems include AM/FM radios. Needless to say, I will be contacting them THIS WEEK about my wireless/cordless pre-loaded headphones for surgery!

Music in the PACU: New Study from Sweden

2009-11-19T10:53:00.004-05:00

Music in the Post-anesthesia care unit? New study documents benefits! Intensive Crit Care Nurs. 2009 Aug;25(4):208-13. Epub 2009 May 14. Patients' perception of music versus ordinary sound in a postanaesthesia care unit: a randomised crossover trial. Fredriksson AC, Hellström L, Nilsson U. Dep. Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Malmoe University Hospital, Sweden. We performed an experimental single-blind crossover design study in a postanaesthesia care unit (PACU): (i) to test the hypothesis that patients will experience a higher degree of wellbeing if they listen to music compared to ordinary PACU sounds during their early postoperative care, (ii) to determine if there is a difference over time, and (iii) to evaluate the importance of the acoustic environment and whether patients prefer listening to music during their stay. Two groups received a three-phase intervention: one group (n=23) experienced music-ordinary sound-music and the second group (n=21) experienced ordinary sound-music-ordinary sound. Each period lasted 30 min, and after each period the patients assessed their experience of the sound. The results demonstrated a significant difference (p<0.001) between groups in the proportions of patients reporting that the acoustic environment was of great importance for their wellbeing during the three-phase intervention, and most participants (n=36 versus n=8) noticed that they were exposed to different sounds during the PACU period. The results also revealed that most participants (n=32) preferred listening to music versus listening to ordinary sound (n=3) while in the PACU (p<0.001). These findings promote use of listening to music to establish a healing environment for patients in a postanaesthesia care unit

New Research Study on Music Medicine with Children

2009-11-07T23:47:00.005-05:00

Paediatr Anaesth. 2009 Oct 23. [Epub ahead of print] School-aged children's experiences of postoperative music medicine on pain, distress, and anxiety. Nilsson S, Kokinsky E, Nilsson U, Sidenvall B, Enskär K. Department of Paediatric Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, The Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg. Aim: To test whether postoperative music listening reduces morphine consumption and influence pain, distress, and anxiety after day surgery and to describe the experience of postoperative music listening in school-aged children who had undergone day surgery. Background: Music medicine has been proposed to reduce distress, anxiety, and pain. There has been no other study that evaluates effects of music medicine (MusiCure((R))) in children after minor surgery. Methods: Numbers of participants who required analgesics, individual doses, objective pain scores (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability [FLACC]), vital signs, and administration of anti-emetics were documented during postoperative recovery stay. Self-reported pain (Coloured Analogue Scale [CAS]), distress (Facial Affective Scale [FAS]), and anxiety (short State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI]) were recorded before and after surgery. In conjunction with the completed intervention semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. Results: Data were recorded from 80 children aged 7-16. Forty participants were randomized to music medicine and another 40 participants to a control group. We found evidence that children in the music group received less morphine in the postoperative care unit, 1/40 compared to 9/40 in the control group. Children's individual FAS scores were reduced but no other significant differences between the two groups concerning FAS, CAS, FLACC, short STAI, and vital signs were shown. Children experienced the music as 'calming and relaxing.' Conclusions: Music medicine reduced the requirement of morphine and decreased the distress after minor surgery but did not else influence the postoperative care.

Surgery Headphones or Surgery Music Download

2009-11-02T12:10:00.003-05:00

Since I created my headphones for surgery last year, I also decided to offer just the download of the music as well. Lately, more people are choosing to download the music to put on their own MP3 players. Obviously I think this is a wonderful idea, better than having no music or taking in music that could actually energize the body and require more anesthesia to relax the body and keep it asleep. The ideal solution though is the surgery music headphones. This is because you can have the music delivered directly to the brain, through the 8th cranial nerve, and you can avoid all wires and cords. Any MP3 player in the world today has two wires that lead from the player to the headphones or earbuds. My headphones have NO wires or cords and deliver the music from a programmed chip in the headphone itself, powered by a lithium battery. In the past year, NO ONE has been prevented from taking the headphones into surgery! As a matter of fact, patients report that the doctors and nurses are fascinated by the headphones and music and eager to see them work! If you or anyone you know is having surgery, go immediately to www.surgicalheadphones.com and check these out. Thanks!

I've Come Full Circle!

2009-10-27T08:54:00.004-04:00

Last night I had a once in a lifetime experience. The dear man who has been my mentor in the field of music medicine for twenty years now, was in the hospital recovering from an emergency appendectomy, and I was able to deliver him a set of my surgery headphones to use during his recovery! If it were not for Dr. Arthur Harvey, these headphones would not exist and now, he got to benefit from them! Dr. Harvey reported that the quality of music was "amazing" and as I stood there talking with his son, Dr. Harvey was smiling and singing along with the favorite hymns I had put on just for him! Needless to say I am thrilled to be able to help the man who is responsible for my being where I am in this wonderful profession and am trusting that he will continue to recover and maybe do so faster and with less pain, thanks to the music he tadught me about long ago!

Rave Reviews come in of my Surgery Headphones

2009-10-08T23:04:00.003-04:00

Well I had a wonderful experience tonight at a banquet I attended. I was not expecting to know many of the people who were there, but to my delight, there was a woman MD who bought my headphones a few months ago for her knee replacement surgery! I had not heard from her and although I try to follow up with all my customers, had not gotten back to her. During the break before the speaker she saw me and came over to me with a BIG smile on her face. She said the the headphones did great and she was so thrilled the the doctors and nurses not only allowed her to wear them all the way through her surgery, but that they were quite excited and intrigued but the whole idea and said they had been reading about them! Needless to say, i was thrilled! Who's next??!!

Music during Surgery: A video report

2009-09-29T21:44:00.003-04:00

This music was planned and played by my friend and mentor, Dr. Arthur Harvey. Since this was created, Dr. Harvey has moved from Honolulu to the Sarasota area. I will be in Sarasota from Oct. 22-26 and available to consult with folks about music during surgery. Let me know if you live in the area and would like to meet. More info to come! Stay tuned!

How does entrainment work?

2009-09-08T22:46:00.003-04:00

Entrainment is the main reason why music during surgery works! In the process of entrainment, your bodies natural rhythms such as heart-rate and breathing, automatically synchronize with the pulse of music. In an everyday example, when you hear strongly rhythmic music such as high-energy disco music, rock-and-roll, or a Sousa march, you automatically start tapping your toe, bobbing your head or actually dancing! Research in music therapy has proven time and again that the body responds to music even when in a coma state or asleep. When you are under general anesthesia, you can still be tense, anxious and require the maximum safe dose of anesthesia. When you have slow, steady, soothing music coming into your brain through headphones, your body automatically relaxes and entrains with that music, thus allowing you to take the MINIMUM safe amount of anesthesia. My "Surgical Serenity Headphones" have only been on the market for 5 months, but already word is spreading and they are selling every day. If you are interested in using these for your surgery, but feel that you can't afford them, contact me and I will work something out with you! To read more about them click here.

Now anyone can have music during surgery!

2009-08-27T11:03:00.005-04:00

Research has proven beyond any doubt that music during surgery is a powerful adjunct. As my pre-programmed, cordless headphones hit the market, research studies in hospitals and clinics from around the world pour into medical journals about the benefits of music to the patient, during surgery! Surgeons have been using their own iPods and CDs during surgeries for a couple of decades, but the majority of people did not realize that the patient's body was responding to the music too and that patient needed a very different type of music! As a musicologist with clinical/hospital training I have chosen the perfect music for YOUR surgery. Get them now and be prepared! Send my surgical headphones now.

More on Propofol

2009-07-28T23:24:00.002-04:00

Well, it looks like Michael Jackson's personal 24/7 physician is the person who gave him the propofol that killed him. There has been so much in the media that I don't want to belabor this but needless to say, this man is in big trouble and will probably do prison time, not to mention never practicing medicine again!

So sad. What do we do to our entertainers that makes them feel that they are so different that the rules for other humans just don't apply to them? Really tragic!

Why Propofol should only be in the hospital

2009-07-15T11:41:00.002-04:00

Anesthesia in Jackson Case Tracked Posted Jul 14th 2009 6:35PM by TMZ Staff We've learned several pharmaceutical companies have been contacted by the DEA in the Michael Jackson case and we're told authorities are getting closer to identifying which person may have supplied the powerful anesthesia Propofol that appears to have killed the singer. Sources tell us law enforcement found vials of Propofol in Michael Jackson's house after he died. The vials all have lot numbers. We're told several days ago the DEA contacted Teva Pharmaceuticals -- which manufactured one of the vials found at the house -- to determine who purchased it. Teva sells Propofol to medical distributors, who then turn around and sell the vials to hospitals and doctors. And, law enforcement sources say, the DEA also contacted other manufacturers of Propofol from the other vials found in Jackson's home. Here's the problem. Although every vial has a lot number, the vials are not marked individually. There are thousands of vials in a lot. So the DEA and LAPD are trying to hone in on the culprit but, we're told, it's no easy task.

Surgery with music lectures for your organization

2009-07-12T23:26:00.005-04:00

The word about music during surgery is getting out! I did a lecture this past Friday night at a large Presbyterian Church here in Louisville and then appeared on a widely-broadcast radio show here earlier this evening! Once people begin to understand what a huge benefit music during surgery is, the more they not only use it themselves for any medical procedure but the more they begin to tell their friends, family, and physicians. My goal is to have the wireless, pre-programmed headphones in every hospital, every doctor's office and in many homes as well. If you want to know more, go now to www.surgicalheadphones.com. As always, send me your questions, your comments, and your stories of music's healing power.

A little humor regarding effects of surgery!

2009-06-25T23:16:00.003-04:00

This blog is a serious blog. My intent is to impart as much scientifically grounded information to you as possible regarding the use of music with surgery and other medical situations. But every now and then something really funny comes along:

"LOS ANGELES—Leave it to Robin Williams, who is recovering from his heart surgery last March, to liven up the proceedings at the recent premiere of “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” in Washington, DC."

Hope you're staying cool and comfortable wherever you are!

How does anesthesia work?

2009-06-22T23:11:00.007-04:00

Many inventions of the 19th century -- telephones, airplanes, phonographs -- have helped to shape the modern world. However, it could be argued that the 1846 discovery of effective surgical anesthesia holds a place of honor among the century's advances. Music for Surgery Headphones now available! Use Less Anesthesia by adding music Prior to the advent of effective anesthetics, surgery was a desperate last resort that used crude and dangerous means (including large doses of opium or alcohol, or knocking a patient unconscious) to dull the patient's sensations. Today, whether it is a shot of novocaine at the dentist, a spinal or epidural during childbirth, deep sedation for a minor procedure or general anesthesia for major surgery, the use of effective anesthesia is a routine part of medical care. Although most of us have experienced anesthesia, the general public has little understanding of what it is and how it works. According to Steve Kimatian, associate professor of anesthesiology and pediatrics in Penn State's College of Medicine, anesthesia is not a single entity, but rather a manipulation of several physiological functions of the body. "In its most basic sense, you can say that anesthesia consists of four components: hypnosis, amnesia, analgesia and muscle relaxation," explained Kimatian. These components -- which range from local anesthetic injections to regional anesthetics (such as spinal and epidural) to general anesthesia -- may be combined or used separately depending on the type of surgery and patients' needs. While you may have thought you were "asleep" for that tonsillectomy as a teenager, technically you were in a state of deep hypnosis. When you finally woke up in the recovery room, you probably didn't remember anything about the surgery -- thanks to the effects of amnesia-inducing agents you were given. But Kimatian explains that sedation and amnesia do not necessarily mean the same thing. You can be "asleep" during a procedure but afterwards remember hearing the voices of the doctors or you can also be "awake" during a procedure, speaking with the doctors, answering questions and following commands, but remember nothing. Said Kimatian, although you don't remember having any pain during the surgery, that doesn't necessarily mean the pain wasn't there. "A person can be sedated and appear to be asleep, they can be amnesic and not remember anything, but their body can still have a physiological response to a stimulus. Consider the tree falling in the forest analogy. If you had pain and you don't remember it, did you really have pain? From an anesthesiologist's standpoint, yes, because we have to address those physiologic changes that occur with response to stimulus." In cases requiring regional anesthesia, how do anesthesiologists block sensation to specific body parts and not others? Explained Kimatian, if we touch a hot stove, thermal receptors in our hand send an electrical signal to our spinal cord which signals our brain, and we react by experiencing pain and removing our hand from the stimulus. To make sure we don't feel the pain during a surgery or procedure, an anesthesiologist uses analgesics or local anesthetics to block the signal somewhere between the point of the stimulus and the brain. "I could do a regional anesthetic selective to an individual finger, by just blocking the nerves of that digit, and you wouldn't know the finger was in pain," Kimatian said. "Or you can block all the nerves to the forearm so you wouldn't feel the pain there. You could block it at the shoulder. You could block it at the epidural space where the nerves enter into the spinal sac, or you can put the person completely to sleep and block it at the cerebral level." The art and science of anesthesia, said Kimatian, is knowing how to tailor both the technique and the dosage to the individual patient's needs. "Understanding the delicate balance between desired effects and undesired side effects requires a physician's in-depth knowledge of physiology and pharmacology," he added. Source: by James Conroy, Research Penn State

Interesting history about anesthesia

2009-06-09T14:51:00.004-04:00

There is so much in this world that we take for granted...we have to! We can't be experts on everything and especially when it comes to the medical world, we must trust that our doctors know what they're talking about. However, doctors are human, like everyone else, and they do make mistakes. We must decide for ourselves how much information we want to get about any particular procedure or test.

In line with this, I thought my readers might be interested to know a little more about the history of anesthesia. Enjoy!

The date of the first operation under anesthetic, Oct. 16, 1846, ranks among the most iconic in the history of medicine. It was the moment when Boston, and indeed the United States, first emerged as a world-class center of medical innovation. The room at the heart of Massachusetts General Hospital where the operation took place has been known ever since as the Ether Dome, and the word "anesthesia" itself was coined by the Boston physician and poet Oliver Wendell Holmes to denote the strange new state of suspended consciousness that the city's physicians had witnessed. The news from Boston swept around the world, and it was recognized within weeks as a moment that had changed medicine forever.But what precisely was invented that day? Not a chemical - the mysterious substance used by William Morton, the local dentist who performed the procedure, turned out to be simply ether, a volatile solvent that had been in common use for decades. And not the idea of anesthesia - ether, and the anesthetic gas nitrous oxide, had both been thoroughly inhaled and explored. As far back as 1525, the Renaissance physician Paracelsus had recorded that it made chickens "fall asleep, but wake up again after some time without any bad effect," and that it "extinguishes pain" for the duration. What the great moment in the Ether Dome really marked was something less tangible but far more significant: a huge cultural shift in the idea of pain. Operating under anesthetic would transform medicine, dramatically expanding the scope of what doctors were able to accomplish. What needed to change first wasn't the technology - that was long since established - but medicine's readiness to use it.

How does this apply to the acceptance of music during surgery? I'll let you draw the parallels because I think it is fairly self-evident. Music has been used in medical settings for centuries. Evidence of this can be found easily by simply Googling "history of music in medicine." Music is one of the most ancient and powerful of medical/healing interventions. But those of us who believe this fervently must get the word out to our doctors and have proof in hand. My blogs and my websites are filled with the facts and the documentation you need. If you want more, just email me through the blog or through my website, www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com.

Understanding the Power of Entrainment

2009-05-14T00:33:00.014-04:00

One of the most frequent questions that I get about my music with surgery process and headphones is "how do you know this works?" That's a great questions and very important to understand that this is not just a hunch I have!

When I began studying music therapy back in 1990 with Laurie Rugenstein, one of the first things I learned about was the power of musical entrainment. To make it as simple as possible " when people hear rhythmic music being played, they automatically begin to tap a toe, tap a finger, nod their head, or sometimes, get up and dance!

Now what does this have to do with surgery? Well, music therapy and medical research (http://www.pubmed.com/) databases are filled with scientific, empirical studies documenting that when rhythmic music is played for patients, their heartrate and breathing tend to synchronize with that music, often lowering blood pressure, lowering heart rate, stabilizing body temperature and all biorhythms.

Many of these studies played the music through headphones which not only delivers the music directly to the brain through the 8th cranial nerve, but also drowns out OR conversations, and sounds that the patient might not want to hear like drilling, sawing, and breaking bones!

The headphones that I have created are wireless, cordless, and completely re-chargeable. They hold 7-8 hours of specially-selected music for surgery or can be programmed with the music you choose!

Learn more about surgical headphones

What is the advantage of using "musical anesthesia?"

2009-05-06T14:35:00.005-04:00

What exactly is "Musical Anesthesia?" This is my patented procedure for using music during surgery (or other medical procedures) wherein the patient has specially created wireless headphones that deliver specially chosen music during surgery for the express purpose of reducing (sometimes dramatically) the amount of anesthesia required during the procedure.

Why would someone want to reduce the amount of anesthesia they require during surgery? Anesthesia-related complications range from headache to death. Although people do not die very often from anesthesia, it does happen every year because of previously unknown allergies, anesthesia-related heart attacks, and other unforseen events that result in death.

If you knew that you could supplement the usual anesthesia with music in order to create a safe experience, wouldn't you want to do that? I have created a patented a process to deliver that perfect music for surgery through wireless headphones.

If you want to know more about this, please click HERE. Thank you!

How soon should you talk with doctor?

2009-04-24T22:14:00.007-04:00

If you have just been told that you are going to need surgery, there probably is a 50/50 chance that you knew this already. But if it comes as a total surprise, you may be a bit numb at first and feel confused and even panicky. No one wants to have surgery. Even people who choose elective surgery, like plastic surgery, would prefer to have someone give them a pill or better yet, wave a magic wand!!

So, now you know you must have surgery. You've heard that listening to music through headphones during surgery can greatly reduce the amount of anesthesia, pain medication and other meds by up to 50%!! How soon do you mention this to your physician?

I wish there were an easy answer to this. It could depend on how familiar your doctor is with this concept.

Many surgeons today are quite familiar with people taking their own favorite relaxing music into the OR because there has been so much publicity about this phenomenon and the many ways that it can help during surgery. Unfortunately, there are some surgeons that are not aware of these benefits and are not willing to even discuss it.

If you have just come across this blog or some of the many articles I have written on the subject at http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dr._Alice_Cash, please feel free to email me through my site www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com or go to www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com/surgical_headphones.

Even if it turns out that you're not allowed to use music during your surgery, you can still benefit from listening to music through headphones before the procedure, in the recovery room and after you return home. Here's to your good health and your speedy recovery!

More info on the surgical headphones

2009-03-29T22:00:00.003-04:00

Several people have asked me about the headphones...if they go over the head or behind the neck? The answer is "behind the neck." This is the newer way that headphones are being made today and we have had 100's of people try them lying down, walkikng around, leaning back in a comfortable chair or sitting up straight. So far, all of those positions are reported to be perfectly comfortable. I think it's important to know that, although the headphones come pre-programmed with the music that I have chosen as "ideal for surgery" once your procedure is over you can delete this music if you want to and put any music you want onto the headphones. They come with a USB cable and all instructions. But keep in mind, it's not about entertainment, it's about "entrainment" and synchronizing the heart-beat and breathing to the slow, steady pulse of the music! This 60-minute selection of music repeats in a loop until the headphones are turned off, hopefully when you leave the recovery area! Let me know what your other questions might be! Happy listening!

Do you want Headphones or MP3 Player for your surgery music?

2009-03-28T22:27:00.008-04:00

Now that we've established what all the many benefits of music during are, what are the pros and cons of the pre-programmed headphones vs. the music that is downloadable to your MP3 player. For me, the most obvious benefit is that:

the headphones are totally cordless and the MP3 player or iPod has wires that connect the earbuds to the player
During surgery, or other medical procedure, you need to be able to move your head easily and many people report a problem with earbuds falling out.
Although many people take iPods and MP3 players into surgery and do not report a problem, I think the cordless, pre-programmed headphones are safer and less likely to become entangled with anything the surgeon or nurses might be doing for you.
Another advantage is that you don't have to worry about where to put the MP3 player. Although surgical gowns often have a small pocket, it's not really intended to keep an object in it and could easily slide out.

Of course either one is preferable to no music for your procedure. What's the downside? Absolutely nothing! Let me know if I can help you!

Headphones orders are coming in

2009-03-02T23:39:00.003-05:00

I am so excited because people are ordering both the headphones and the downloads of the surgery music I've worked so long to choose and program. Soon I'm hoping to have at least 4 different genres of music to choose from but right now it's classical music. But, keep in mind, that you'll be asleep during your surgery and your body will be kept relaxed through the process of entrainment. You will hear the music while you're waiting to be taken back and you'll be aware of it in the recovery area, but it's not about entertainment; it's about entrainment! Please feel free to send me all your questions. After a few months of sales and questions I'll put together an eBook with the most frequently asked questions and concerns. If you're having surgery anytime soon, it's best to order them NOW! If I do get backlogged, you can order the download for $79.97 and load it on to your own iPod or MP3 player. Thousands are taking iPods into surgery now but they're not wireless/cordless like my headphones! To your good health! Alice

Surgery Headphones are ready for YOU!

2009-02-27T12:09:00.006-05:00

For almost 20 years I have been reading about, thinking about and finally creating headphones for patients to wear during surgery. The research is there: through the process of rhythmic entrainment, patients who are listening to steady, rhythmic music through headphones, stay relaxed and as a result, require less anesthesia, less anxiety meds before and less pain medication afterwards! This is BIG because one of the things you must recover from after surgery is the ANESTHESIA! The anesthesiologist monitors all of your vital signs during surgery and by watching things such as your blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature, determines how much anesthesia you need. (This is of course, a great over-simplification of what he does.) When slow, steady, heart-beat tempo music is entering your brain directly through the 8th cranial nerve (thanks to the headphones) your bio-rhythms will entrain or synchronize to the pulse of the music, and you will stay relaxed as a result.

Most people are pretty tense and anxious when they go into surgery and need a little more anesthesia (or an anti-anxiety drug such as valium or other benzodiazepines) just to begin to relax their muscles. If the headphones are put on at least 30 minutes prior to surgery, less anesthesia will be needed in order for the patient to "go to sleep." When headphones are used throughout the surgery and into the recovery area, less anesthesia and less pain medication will be needed for the entire procedure!

These facts have been known in the field of music therapy for years, but until now no one had created wireless, totally self-contained, preprogrammed headphones just for surgery! Now that they exist, I hope that you will help me create safer surgical experiences for your family and friends but spreading the word! click HERE to purchase your headphones, or, if you wish, you can purchase a download of my specially chosen surgical music to put on your own iPod or MP3 player. Of course, the MP3 players are not cordless but still you can have the music.

Please feel free to leave your comments! To your good health!

Benefits of Less Anesthesia

2009-02-17T13:39:00.004-05:00

As I talk to people about the benefits of music during surgery, invariably I get the question, "But Alice, why would you want less anesthesia during surgery...I want MORE anesthesia!" OK, I know what you're thinking: you don't want to risk feeling any pain or being "accidentally awake" though the doctors think you are asleep. Yes, there's been a lot in the news about that recently. Here are some of the many benefits of using less anestheisa:

anesthesia can take up to 6 months to completely leave your system
all bodily systems are brought to an almost complete halt by anesthesia, severe constipation being a common result of this
anesthesia is fraught with adverse reactions in patients including allergy and just plain sever side-effects
side-effects include prolonged nausea, dizziness, fuzzy thinking, rashes, double vision and depression
the less anesthesia you have, the sooner you can leave the hospital, begin your healing journey and get on with your life!

If you could have beautiful music playing through headphones cordless, self-contained, lightweight headphones during your procedure and take less anesthesia without an increase in pain, wouldn't you do it?? Please let me know! Thank you!

People's Fears of Surgery and Anesthesia

2009-02-10T11:01:00.005-05:00

Most people are concerned and somewhat frightened when they learn that they are going to need surgery to correct, repair or heal from a condition. Many people are actually terrified that they will not wake up after general anesthesia. Although the science of anesthesiology has come a long way in the past five decades, there are definitely risks!

Recently I read a very interesting thread on a music blog. It went like this:

Who's been under the knife? How does it feel waking up from the anesthesia? Do you feel groggy, disoriented, pain, numbness? Is it like waking up from a long sleep? Does the pain hit you like a 10 ton brick or does it gradually set in or do you have to keep taking pain killers?

The responses were fascinating: a combination of comforting and scaring the person further. To my delight, many of the readers seemed to be aware of the option of taking their iPod with their favorite music into surgery. If you're looking at surgery in the near future, please feel free to contact me so assistance in preparing your perfect music!

Preparing for plastic surgery with music

2009-02-07T21:24:00.004-05:00

Nearly every day I read a new source online where people are recommending music either before, during or after surgery. Of course my recommendation is to have all three. Here's an excerpt from another blog recommending music: Written by Cathy Enns on February 5, 2009 - 3:26pm As a plastic surgery writer, I’ve had the chance to talk with dozens of women about their experiences. While sharing feelings of excitement, anxiety and more, many have offered advice for others about preparing for surgery. Let’s assume you’ve navigated the initial part of the process. You’re confident in your choice of plastic surgeon and surgical plan, and you have a date for the procedure. Now what? How can you help ensure smooth sailing? Obviously, it’s vital to have your medications ready. Fill all prescriptions your surgeon writes, even if you don’t think you’ll use them. If it turns out you need something you don’t have on hand, chances are good you won’t feel much like visiting the pharmacy. Think about other products that may make recovery easier. You may benefit from having certain creams or lotions at home. If you’re having facial plastic surgery, eye drops can soothe scratchy eyes. Another important task is to choose a friend or loved one to help you. Your surgeon will require that someone drive you home after surgery, especially if you have general anesthesia. You should also plan to have someone stay overnight to help you with medications and to be there in case of problems. The more invasive your procedure, the more you’ll want to have a loved one around to help for a few days. If you have children or pets to care for, it’s a relief to have someone else on the front lines. Remember that you’ll need plenty of rest and you’ll move a little more slowly at first. If you have breast or abdominal surgery, you won’t be able to lift much right away. Finally, prepare your home to welcome you back. Most women like to return to a clean house, so apply some elbow grease before surgery. Put clean sheets on the bed and have soft pillows and throws for extra comfort. Stock up on food that’s easy to prepare and easy on your system. Have books and magazines you look forward to reading on hand, and some music or maybe a book on tape to listen to. The first few days after surgery may be somewhat uncomfortable as your body adjusts and recovers, but preparing in advance can make all the difference. Turn your post-op period into a pleasant time of rest and relaxation.

Study: Music helps colonoscopy patients tune out test anxiety

2009-01-24T22:16:00.004-05:00

While few people will rank a colonoscopy as a favorite medical procedure, one statistic argues clearly in its favor: a 90 percent cure rate in colon cancers caught at an early stage. Benjamin Krevsky, a professor of medicine at the School of Medicine and director of gastrointestinal endoscopy at Temple University Hospital, found that when patients undergoing a colonoscopy listened to music, they required less sedation. (Photo by Ryan S. Brandenberg / University Photography) Still, patients often approach the test with a mixture of dread and anxiety. Despite sedation, people fear discomfort, and often put off the appointment. To address this common problem, doctors have added an extra ingredient: music. A new study reveals that patients who plug into their favorite tunes during a colonoscopy procedure may be able to relax enough to require less sedation, without sacrificing comfort. Results of the double-blind study by doctors at Temple University in Philadelphia were presented at this year’s American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy national meeting. Their findings align with other research that has shown music reduces anxiety before surgical procedures. Such promising results have led several hospitals around the country to begin studies on how music affects health. In the colonoscopy study, researchers asked 44 female and 29 male subjects to either bring music from home or choose from a selection of available CDs. Before the procedure, ear buds were taped to all of the participants’ ears and volume set to be audible to only the patient. After the patient received his or her initial dose of medication, an investigator opened a randomized envelope to see if the music selections would be played. Following the colonoscopy, the attending doctor, fellow and nurse evaluated pain, anxiety and comfort levels for each patient. A non-participating medical provider conducted a second, later interview. Results revealed that those who listened to music required less sedation (3.8 mg of midazolam vs. 4.4 mg, and 87 mcg of fentanyl vs. 93 mcg) yet reported the same comfort levels as those receiving the higher amounts. The reductions, equal to about one less dose of medication, are considered clinically significant, according to Benjamin Krevsky, M.D., M.P.H., the lead author of the study, who is a professor of medicine at Temple University School of Medicine and director of gastrointestinal endoscopy at Temple University Hospital. “It’s true that many patients don’t like the procedure,” said Krevsky, “but many find that the preparation for the test is worse than the test itself.” Co-investigator Kevin Skole, M.D., who was a gastroenterology fellow at Temple, had the original idea for the study. Krevsky too was inspired when a dentist handed him ear buds to listen to music during a dental procedure. “Over all, colonoscopies are very, very safe,” Krevsky said. “And while the risks of sedatives are relatively small, in general, less medication is always better.” Krevsky also notes the decreased drug dose may translate into reduced healthcare costs. Most of the participants picked gospel tunes, but the type of music didn’t appear to make a difference. “Offering music makes sense,” Krevsky said. “It has no downside, it may prove beneficial, and patients appear to be satisfied with the procedure.” All of which may add up to less anxiety and more colonoscopies. By Ilene Raymond For Temple Health Sciences PR

Surgery With Music: Fears about Surgery and Anesthesia

2009-01-24T22:10:00.000-05:00

Surgery With Music: Fears about Surgery and Anesthesia

Plastic Surgery and criminology?

2009-01-24T07:10:00.003-05:00

This is a different kind of post, but I thought it was interesting and I would share it with you. Enjoy! Drug Kingpin who'd had Plastic Surgery nailed by computer voice recognition! In a story that brings to mind John Woo's "Face-off" which starred John Travola and Nic Cage as an FBI agent and drug dealer/terrorist who "switched faces" via plastic surgery comes this news off the wires. Ramirez Abadia, a leader of Colombia's biggest drug cartel who had his features deliberately altered by plastic surgery, was identified by Brazilian and American anti-drug agents using advanced voice recognition technology. A write up can be found here from the Washington Post. U.S. intelligence agencies have used voice recognition for decades, but the technology has become much more effective in recent years through improvements in software that rapidly analyzes vocal frequency patterns, said Jim Hunter, a partner in the Merlin Risks security firm in Sao Paulo. "The way you use your voice is as individual as fingerprints," Hunter explained. "If they have a sample of a known voice and they get an unknown sample of sufficient length, they then test the unknown against the known." The process is more complex than fingerprinting because peoples' voices are different when they speak normally, yell or whisper _ but the software breaks down different frequencies and uses statistical analysis to make matches Good plastic surgery should not be able to make you unrecognizable to family, friends, or intelligence agencies. How would you alter yourself to evade detection? Let's look at Mr. Ramirez to get some ideas. If you look at the difference between the "new & improved" drug dealer on the left with some old FBI stock photos on the right & you can see some rather obvious stigmata of plastic surgery. He apparently was once a handsome man who has been altered into a vaguely humanoid thing. It looks like he's had rhinoplasty - note the excessively narrowed upper part of the nose & I think you can see a red scar inside of the left nostril on the upper picture Face lift & neck liposuction - his face is kind of globally distorted. On the underside of the neck there appears to be a "dent" which can be from sutures or liposuction. He's also got a very prominent chin cleft which wasn't evident (to me) on the old blurry photos. blepharoplasty (eyelids) - he's got a rounded eye and clear ectorpion or "scleral show" (scar contracture which pulls the lid down and shows more of the 'white of the eye') on his left lower lid which a not infrequent complication of lower eyelid surgery facial implants - these are made from silastic (silicone rubber). I say this because his face has assumed all these weird geometries along the cheek, chin, and jawline. Facelifts and/or fat grafting can do this to some degree, but my money's on implants. Rob

Is there a colonoscopy in your future?

2009-01-15T15:30:00.001-05:00

Considering that colonoscopies are the best way to catch colon cancer at its earliest stage, people still do whatever they can to put off this routine screening. While it is true that no one looks forward to a colonoscopy, perhaps a little music can help make the experience more pleasant. That's the indication of a new study, presented at the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy's national meeting, which shows that patients who listened to music during their routine colonoscopy required less sedation for the procedure. "Offering music makes sense," said Dr. Benjamin Krevsky, lead author of the study and professor of medicine at Temple University School of Medicine. "It has no downside, it may prove beneficial and patients appear to be satisfied with the procedure." For the study, Krevsky and colleagues invited 73 men and women to bring music from home or choose from a selection of CDs with the understanding they may be played during their colonoscopy. Ear buds were taped to the participants' ears before each procedure and the volume was adjusted so the music was only audible to the patient. Then, after the initial dose of a sedative commonly used during a colonoscopy, it was randomly determined if the music would be played during the procedure itself. Further doses of the sedative were given if necessary. After the procedure, each patient was asked about their discomfort and pain levels during the procedure and if they had any anxiety. From their data, the researchers determined that those who listened to music during the colonoscopy needed approximately one less dose of the sedative mediation, while still reporting about the same levels of comfort as those who did not listen to music. If music does indeed reduce the amount of sedation a patient needs for a colonoscopy, it could lead to reduced healthcare costs and greater satisfaction with the overall procedure. "Over all, colonoscopies are very, very safe." Krevsky said. "And while the risks of sedatives are relatively small, in general, less medication is better." The type of music the patients selected didn't seem to matter. Krevsky even suggests toting along your mp3 player to your next colonoscopy. Your favorite tunes may make the procedure a little easier to bear. Karen Barrow 11/20/2006

Why use music during surgery?

2009-01-13T14:40:00.003-05:00

The concept of using music for pain relief is ancient. People have literally been doing this for thousands of years. The concept of using music during surgery is a little bit newer. For 30 years or more, surgeons have been taking their own music into surgery, but for some reason, no one thought that patients should have their own music. The belief was that the patient was "asleep" and wouldn't even hear it. What they did not understand was that the human body responds to music, even when asleep...not only the body, but also the mind and the spirit. Through the process of "entrainment" the body responds to rhythmic music by synchronizing the heartbeat and breathing to that tempo of speed of the music. The mind also responds to slow, steady, soothing music by relaxing the body. The effect: when the body is relaxed, it requires less anesthesia in order to stay "asleep." Less anesthesia means safer surgery, fewer side-effects and complications and a faster recovery! It's so simple. If you want to try this, click on the link HERE. Best wishes!

Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating the Effect of Music on the Virtual Reality Laparoscopic Learning Performance of Novice Surgeons - Abstract

2009-01-10T20:35:00.004-05:00

Interesting study...I don't think the results are too surprising though, do you?

Friday, 09 January 2009 Department of Surgery, Triemli Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland Findings have shown that music affects cognitive performance, but little is known about its influence on surgical performance. The hypothesis of this randomized controlled trial was that arousing (activating) music has a beneficial effect on the surgical performance of novice surgeons in the setting of a laparoscopic virtual reality task. For this study, 45 junior surgeons with no previous laparoscopic experience were randomly assigned to three equal groups. Group 1 listened to activating music; group 2 listened to deactivating music; and group 3 had no music (control) while each participant solved a surgical task five times on a virtual laparoscopic simulator. The assessed global task score, the total task time, the instrument travel distances, and the surgeons' heart rate were assessed. All surgical performance parameters improved significantly with experience (task repetition). The global score showed a trend for a between-groups difference, suggesting that the group listening to activating music had the worst performance. This observation was supported by a significant between-groups difference for the first trial but not subsequent trials (activating music, 35 points; deactivating music, 66 points; no music, 91 points; p = 0.002). The global score (p = 0.056) and total task time (p = 0.065) showed a trend toward improvement when participants considered the music pleasant rather than unpleasant. Music in the operating theater may have a distracting effect on novice surgeons performing new tasks. Surgical trainers should consider categorically switching off music during teaching procedures. Written by: Miskovic D, Rosenthal R, Zingg U, Oertli D, Metzger U, Jancke L. Are you the author? Reference: Surg Endosc. 2008 Nov;22(11):2416-20 doi: 10.1007/s00464-008-0040-8 PubMed Abstract PMID: 18622551 UroToday.com Laparoscopic and Robotic Section

Fears about Surgery and Anesthesia

2008-12-23T20:14:00.001-05:00

Anxiety before elective surgery is common. Therefore, many studies have examined interventions to reduce preoperative anxiety, including pharmacologic anxiolysis, information, distraction, and relaxation procedures. This study compared different methods to measure preoperative anxiety. The aims of the study were threefold. First, to examine the validity and utility of the self-reporting visual analog scale (VAS) and to compare this test to the standard Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Second, to find out whether the authors could identify patient risk factors or operations that correlated with high preoperative anxiety. Third, to itemize the concerns of patients admitted for elective anesthesia and surgery. The study was conducted in a university hospital in Switzerland. The authors developed a questionnaire to evaluate the different aspects of preoperative anxiety. The final questionnaire contained 91 items. Topics covered included the patients' demographic background, relevant medical and anesthetic history, visual analog scales (for fear of anesthesia, fear of surgery, and different aspects of preoperative anxiety), as well as questions designed to assess the impact of the preoperative visit by the anesthesiologist, patients' satisfaction with different aspects of their preoperative care and the patients' perception of their anesthesiologist. This study was performed on all patients admitted preoperatively for surgery over a three-month period . They completed the questionnaire on the evening before surgery, in hospital. 685 of the 734 questionnaires distributed to patients were returned. The authors found a significant correlation between the VAS measuring fear of anesthesia and the STAI, and between the VAS measuring fear of surgery and the STAI. These correlations were not significantly different between male and female patients. 25% of patients scored higher than 1 standard deviation above the normative mean STAI and were defined as having high preoperative anxiety. Factors associated with higher preoperative anxiety levels were age less than 37 years, previous negative experience with anesthesia, information seeking behavior (rather than information avoiding), and patients with high school only education. The different genders had increased fear of different kinds of surgical procedures. The questions evaluating patients' preoperative fears were assessed after factor analysis and found to have three characteristic areas. The first group of characteristics was called by the authors "fear of the unknown." This factor consisted of fear of the waiting period before surgery/anesthesia, of being at the mercy of physicians during anesthesia, of surgical outcome, and of not knowing what occurs while unconscious during anesthesia. This factor correlated highly with the STAI. The second factor, termed "fear of feeling ill," included the fear of postoperative nausea or vomiting, perioperative pain, as well as fear of discomfort at postoperative awakening and of awareness intraoperatively. The third factor was termed "fear for one's life" and consisted of fear of not regaining consciousness, fear of dying and remaining in a coma. These latter two factors were less correlated with STAI. The authors also queried specific anxiety factors and found that "waiting for operation" generated the highest anxiety score. Postoperative pain anxiety ranked number four [out of 10], postoperative nausea and vomiting ranked number six, and awareness under anesthesia ranked number ten of ten. In summary, this study shows that the VAS may be a useful clinical tool to measure preoperative anxiety. Certain patient characteristics might serve to warn the anesthesiologist about the potential presence of increased preoperative anxiety. This increased knowledge may allow anesthesiologists to provide additional appropriate care to ameliorate the anxiety state.

Who else is concerned about the anesthesia during surgery?

2008-12-12T15:15:00.004-05:00

This research has just come to my attention and I thought you'd want to see it too! It confirms my research exactly. For those who are able to choose their own favorite slow, steady, instrumental music, it's great. For those who don't have the time or the no-how, my music is already chosen and ready to go. In the near future, I plan to have many different genres of music that are also ideal for surgery. Please contact me if you are having surgery in the near future! Contact: Jacqueline Weaver jacqueline.weaver@yale.edu 203-432-8555 Yale University Patients' favorite music during surgery lessens need for sedative New Haven, Conn.--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 Yale School of Medicine study published in May. The senior author, Zeev Kain, M.D., professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, said 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, 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 they found is that blocking the sounds of the operating room with white noise did not decrease sedative requirements of listening to operating room sounds. Playing music did reduce the need for sedatives during surgery. "Doctors and patients should both note that music can be used to supplement sedation in the operating room," Kain said. The lead author was Chakib Ayoub,M.D., with co-authors Laudi Rizk, M.D., Chadi Yaacoub, M.D., and Dorothy Gaal, M.D., of the University of Beirut Medical Center. The study was supported in part of National Institutes of Health grants. Of course, a major solution is now available: www.surgicalheadphones.com. ### Anesthesia & Analgesia 100: pp 1316-1319 (May 2005)

Surgery allows girl to enjoy Christmas music

2008-12-10T18:17:00.000-05:00

CAROLS by Candlelight in Horsham was extra special this year for one little girl and her parents. Emily Vettos, 10, was in the Combined Primary Schools Choir, but what made her carols debut special was that six months ago she was deaf. Her mother Dee said Emily had lived with hearing difficulties for most of her life but was now loving life and singing proudly after an operation. "Emily was born almost six weeks premature and the tubes in the ears are one of the last things to develop, so she had a lot of pressure building in her ears," Mrs Vettos said. "When she was two we realised she was mumbling a lot and so we took her to the doctor and he referred her to an ear, nose and throat surgeon and he found she was profoundly deaf, that she didn't have a lot of hearing at all. "He operated on her and widened the tube in both her ears and for a while we thought she was going really well. "She was very smart, doing well at school but she was very shy and it wasn't until we had an appointment a year ago that we found she had had a lot of scarring in her right ear and was not actually improving. "We found out that she had taught herself to lip read and that was how she was getting by." Mrs Vettos said that after a second operation, about six months ago, Emily had a new lease on life. "We had no idea because she never said anything and she had no idea either," she said. "It wasn't until she had the surgery that she realised, she came out and said `oh mum, you sound great'. And she's really come out since then, she's still got deafness in her right ear, and she will always have some hearing loss, but she's coming out of her shell and doing a lot better." Singing has now become a big part of Emily's life. "She joined the school choir about three years ago and used to stand up the back and was really quiet and shy and then after this surgery, because she could hear the beat and was in tune, she sings with gusto. She's really loud and she loves it," Mrs Vettos said. "She likes everything, she's into 1980s music and Abba at the moment because of Mamma Mia but she's always singing," she said. "We think we'll get her singing lessons for the coming year, she really does enjoy it." Mrs Vettos said seeing Emily sing at carols had been a defining moment for her and husband Con. "I was so proud, from a little girl who really had the odds against her and was so shy and withdrawn, to come on stage in front of other people and perform, well it was the proudest thing I have ever seen," she said. Emily said she had enjoyed singing at the carols celebration. "It went really good and I liked doing all the actions. It was cool because there were a lot of people that I knew and it was exciting," she said. Emily, who wants to be a singer and a photographer when she grows up, said singing made her feel good. "When I was little I was really embarrassed because I couldn't do much and now that I can sing I guess I can do a lot more than I used to be able to, it's a nice feeling," she said.

Would you like to be part of my research?

2008-11-29T16:33:00.002-05:00

Would you like to be part of my research? November 29th, 2008 · No Comments All over the world, at any given moment, people are being told that they need to have surgery: back surgery, shoulder surgery, knee replacements, hip replacements, hysterectomies…you get the picture. For almost 20 years I have been assisting people who are having surgery to find the perfect music for them. Now I have created my surgical serenity headphones and downloads so that anyone can use music with their surgery at any time! Now I need to gather some data specific to my surgical serenity music that I have chosen for my first-time-ever downloads of music for surgery. I need to get not only data, but testimonials! If YOU or someone you know is planning to have surgery, please let me know and I will send them a free download in exchange for some basic information about their before and after subjective experience of the procedure and a sentence or two about the experience. I will offer this special, time-limited opportunity until I have gathered at least 100 testimonials. Get your requests in NOW! Sincerely, Alice H. Cash, Ph.D., LCSW

Music before Day Surgery--are there benefits?

2008-11-28T13:15:00.003-05:00

This interesting research comes from England. Apparently many patients feel they've been abandoned as they wait for their surgery. If they were given their wireless, pre-programmed headphones prior to surgery, this would undoubtedly calm some of their pre-surgery jitters! Gilmartin J, Wright K. School of Healthcare Studies, Baines Wing, University of Leeds, Leeds UK. j.gilmartin@leeds.ac.uk BACKGROUND: The rapid expansion in day surgery has facilitated a shift in surgical nursing intervention. The evolving evidence base has a major part to play in influencing nurse-led preassessment, information provision, pain management and postoperative intervention. However, the literature is characterised by a number of deficits: poor attention to patient experience from admission to discharge, anxieties evoked and the potential needs of patients are not well articulated. AIM: The purpose of this paper is to describe and interpret patients' experiences of contemporary day surgery. METHOD: This hermeneutic phenomenological approach focused on the experience of 20 adult patients. Data was collected by using unstructured interviews. The transcripts were interpreted through the identification of four prevalent themes using the phenomenological method. FINDINGS: The themes that emerged from the data are emphasised, ranging from the feeling of empowerment during preparation, through apprehensions encountered and the feeling of abandonment in the preoperative waiting area, to recovery dynamics. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates that the majority of the patients felt abandoned in the preoperative stage and nurses did not recognise the importance of ongoing psychological support. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen the provision of emotional support and person-centred care in a day surgery context. There is also a need to be aware that environmental factors can impact on patient anxiety, promoting the use of music preoperatively can reduce anxiety and increase well-being. RELEVANCE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Crucially health professionals need to facilitate person-centred and continuity of care throughout the day surgery experience. Using dynamic interpersonal skills, such as active listening 'holding''containment' and attunement to reduce anxiety and feelings of abandonment in the preoperative period. Moreover, being alert to verbal utterances, para-language and non-verbal cues demonstrated by the patient. Specific information about delays regarding the timing of procedures needs to be carefully explained. PMID: 18705721 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

How music affects the body during surgery

2008-11-20T16:16:00.006-05:00

Why use music during surgery? This is one of the frequent questions asked when I go out into the world and quite understandable. In our society, music is thought of primarily as entertainment. Yes, people put it on their iPod or car CD player or home stereo system to chill-out, energize, or just as background music to their day. Our world is full of music: TV, radio, movies and the ubiquitous iPod but music can also have powerful therapeutic benefits. When used during surgery music can help make the heart rate steady, the breathing steady, and the blood pressure moderate and steady. As a result, you will need less anesthesia to stay relaxed and sound asleep during your procedure. If this sounds too good to be true, just Google "music and surgery research" to see the hundreds of studies that have been conducted on this. There is absolutely no doubt about music's effectiveness! If you'd like to get the music that I have carefully and scientifically chosen for surgery, click on the link in the upper left corner. You can download it directly to your iPod or other MP3 player! Don't hestitate to contact me with any questions. Best wishes for your successful surgery!

2008-11-18T16:36:00.002-05:00

You know that music makes a difference in your surgical procedure, right? You can have live music but that's a little harder that purchasing either the special music I've put together for you or my pre-programmed MP3 player, ready to go into surgery with you. Which do you want? Click on the ad in the top left corner to order! Thanks! Nine important questions to ask your surgeon before your surgery. Preparing for surgery can be a big undertaking. However, in the midst of your preparation don't forget to get all your questions answered before the surgery. Write down questions if you have to and ask your primary care doctor or surgeon. Don't be afraid to ask what you think is a silly question. To help you prepare for surgery, here are nine questions to get you started. Ask these questions before your surgery, as well as any others that come to mind. 1. What is done during the surgery? Ask for a clear description of the operation. If necessary, ask the doctor to draw a picture to help explain exactly what the surgery involves. Find out if there are alternative surgical procedures. Are there alternatives to surgery? Sometimes surgery is the only way to correct the problem. But one option might be watchful waiting, to see if the problem gets better or worse. 2. How will surgery help? A hip replacement, for example, may mean you'll be able to walk comfortably again. To what extent will the surgery help, and how long will the benefits last? You'll want realistic expectations. 3. What are the risks? All operations carry some risk. Weigh the benefits against the risks. Ask about the side effects of the operation, such as the degree of pain you might expect and how long that pain will last. 4. What kind of experience have you had with this surgery? How many times has the doctor performed this surgery, and what percentage of the people who have had the surgery had successful results? To reduce your risks, you want a doctor who is thoroughly trained in the surgery and who has plenty of experience doing it. 5. Where will the surgery be done? Many surgeries today are done on an outpatient basis. You go to a hospital or a clinic for the surgery and return home the same day. 6. Will I be put to sleep for the surgery? Your surgery may require only local anesthesia, which means that just part of your body is numbed for a short time. In case of general anesthesia, you are put to sleep. 7. How long will the surgery and recovery take? Many surgeries can be done relatively quickly and don't require an extended stay in a hospital. However, it may be different for your surgery, so you should ask. Also ask whether you'll need to stay overnight in the hospital, or perhaps stay several days. You'll want to know when most people are able to resume their normal activities, such as doing chores around the house and returning to work. You may think there would be no harm in lifting a sack of groceries after a week or two. But there might be. Follow your doctor's advice as carefully as possible. Also ask your surgeon if you'll have any restrictions on what you can eat or drink before or after the surgery. 8. What will it cost me? Health insurance coverage varies. You may not have to pay anything. You might have a deductible to meet. Or perhaps you'll have to pay a percentage of the cost. The doctor's office can usually give you information about this, but you also need to check with your insurance company. Be aware there will be both a surgeon's fee and a hospital or facility fee — know the cost of both. Be certain to know if you are responsible for a flat copay — a set amount for the surgery — or if you have to pay a percentage of the bill. There's a big difference. 9. Should I get a second opinion? If, after asking all these questions and others, you still have unanswered questions, are unsatisfied with the answers or are still uncomfortable about surgery, you may want to consider the advice of another doctor. A second opinion, also called a consultation, can be a good way for you to get some more perspective on your surgical options. If you seek a second opinion, do so with someone with expertise doing the surgery. Your primary care doctor may be able to help suggest someone for a second opinion. Keep in mind that a second opinion isn't necessarily any better than the first one. If there's disagreement, or agreement, between the two opinions, it's still up to you to evaluate what choice you feel most comfortable with.

Thought You Might Like to See my Patent!

2008-10-30T22:59:00.002-04:00

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the actual patent was issued from the U.S. Patent Office a couple of weeks ago. One of my business advisors suggested that I might like to scan the cover of the patent for all of my readers to see. I was a disappointed that my name isn't on the cover. It's actually kind of like a little booklet and my name, the full description and the pictures (drawings) are on the inside. Anyway, here's the cover with it's beautiful gold seal and red ribbon!

Fear of Anesthesia

2008-10-30T12:59:00.009-04:00

It's not too surprising that many people have a crippling fear of anesthesia. As a matter of fact, their fear is so intense and so overwhelming that they choose not to have surgery, rather than subject themselves to their terrifying projections. But is anesthesia really that dangerous? According to Sarah Wassner Flynn, (http://www.sheknows.com/) "Serious complications from general anesthesia are extremely rare: Malignant hyperthermia affects about one in 10,000 to one in 30,000 patients and far fewer – about five in one million – will die. But even one is too many. More common are side effects like nausea, dizziness and muscle aches, which are much less dangerous and easily managed. Of course, my purpose in introducing this topic is to let you know that listening to soft, slow, steady instrmental music during surgery has been proven to relax the mind and body tension to the point that up to 50% less anesthesia can be taken and still the body and mind are completely anesthetized! Now that's worth investigating, isn't it? To read more, go to MUSIC FOR SURGERY. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions at all about the process, the research, or the music I have chosen! To your successful surgery!

Man plays banjo during his own brain surgery!

2008-10-20T12:33:00.003-04:00

Several people have sent me links to this unusual video and I wanted to share it with all of my readers and clients! This well-known country music star, Eddie Adcock, was asked to bring his banjo into surgery in order to discern how part of his brain were functioning during hs brain surgery! This is truly a rare an amazing clip! Enjoy!

Surgery Music Patent Issued today from Washington, D.C.

2008-10-07T18:44:00.003-04:00

More exciting new regarding my music for surgery patent. The patent office had notified us that the patent was approved but today it was actually issued. Here's the letter: "We are pleased to report that U.S. Patent No. 7,xxx,xxx issued this morning. Congratulations! An electronic copy of this patent is attached, and we will review and forward you the official ribbon copy upon receipt." Remember, until the headphones are ready to go on the market, you can download the surgery music NOW for your own personal MP3 player! If you or someone you know is going to have surgery soon, PLEASE use this music to reduce the amount of anesthesia needed, the amount of pain medication needed and result in a faster, less painful recovery! To purchase the download, go HERE. Let me know if you have questions!

Real Soul Music

2008-09-09T22:10:00.002-04:00

Research has shown that 30 to 60 minutes of music a day can lower levels of pain and of blood pressure. It has also been found to improve respiration rates The sound of piano music coming from the operating theatre was the first clue that something unusual was afoot. As the theatre doors swung open and the trolley was wheeled in, the patient was greeted by a smiling surgeon sitting at a piano playing "The More I See You". As the surgeon played on, with random extracts from other piano works, the patient was sedated and prepared for surgery. With the patient and theatre team ready, the music finally stopped, and the surgeon stood up and began his day job. The experiment in Hawaii, a world first, was testing whether music has an effect on health, pain and vital signs, such as blood pressure and heart and breathing rates, as well as levels of hormones and antibodies.

Are you ready for music with your surgery?

2008-08-16T07:13:00.003-04:00

People who live in the Louisville, KY area have been hearing about music with surgery for at least 10 years. At first blush, it seems like a radical idea, but once people understand that your body responds to music even when "asleep" it makes perfect sense. The first thing one must understand is: It's NOT about entertainment! Although I'd like to believe that it is definitely enjoyable, the idea is that our minds and bodies respond to the slow, steady pulse of music by staying more relaxed and maintaining and slow, steady heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. THIS allows the patient to require up to 50% LESS anesthesia! That is phenomenal! Anesthesia is one of the most dangerous (but necessary) parts of surgery. If you can maintain the same level of sedation without nearly as much anesthesia, why wouldn't you?

If you're as excited about this as I am, stay tuned to this blog for regular updates!

More News on the Surgery Patent!

2008-08-14T15:35:00.002-04:00

WOW! What a difference a couple of days can make in one's life! Since getting word on Monday that my patent had finally been awarded, I have been contacted by loads of people! Isn't that exciting? Most are just asking for information about my idea and of course one of the things that I do is to refer them to this blog! You CAN subscribe to this blog. Did you know that? There's a little box near the top of the page that you can fill in and then not miss a single post! I'm getting so many congratulatory emails that I spend nearly an hour everytime I sit down just reading those! In the meantime, I'm leaving Sunday on my 60th birthday cruise with my kids and their husbands so I'll be out of touch while I'm gone. Please leave your comments on the blog. I look forward to hearing from you!

One of my dreams has come true!!

2008-08-12T20:16:00.005-04:00

I am so excited and thrilled to announce the yesterday I was notified that my invention for delivering music during surgery has received a patent from the U.S. Patent Office. Needless to say, there are lots of small details ( like paying ANOTHER $1,000.00!!!) but now I can market the invention as a unique, proven, and patented device for surgery!!! HOORAY!!! It's been a 3 1/2 year journey and I was turned down so many times in the beginning that I thought it might not happen at all. But as of yesterday around noon, the tides have turned and now I can begin looking for angel investors! Wouldn't you like to invest in a simple device that will revolutionize the OR because of it's proven ability to decrease the amount of anesthesia, anxiety medication and pain medication...all through music? I can only let a limited number of people join me in this venture so contact me at chantdoc@healingmusicenterprises.com if you are interested! HOORAY!!!

Music Surgery Soundtrack to be released shortly!

2008-08-06T23:31:00.002-04:00

I am sooo excited friends! I've put together the first in a series of downloadble soundtracks for surgery! This music will be available from a new page on my website and for those who are not adept at downloading music, I will also preprogram MP3 players for you to take directly into surgery. I'm working on the Ebook for Music and Surgery right now and putting the finishing touches on it. Please let all of your friends and families know about this exciting release. Surgery is an important and usually necessary event but it doesn't have to be as dangerous. Numerous studies document that patients listening to slow, steady, instrumental music through headphones (or earbuds!) need less anesthesia and anesthesia is one of the things people have to recover from!!

Please stay tuned!!

More about the live music surgery research!

2008-07-20T11:23:00.000-04:00

An eye surgeon in Hawaii has reported the results of a delightful study in which he played live classical piano music to some of his patients in the operating room before surgery. In the "preoperative holding area", patients' heart rates were measured along with their blood pressure and respiratory rate. Some of the patients then underwent conventional eye surgery, the noise of hospital machinery their only entertainment. Others were told that their surgeon would be playing them live piano music when they entered theatre, before they were sedated for their operation. Those in the non-music group showed an increase in heart rate and other signs of anxiety when they were in theatre. But the anxiety rates of those in the "musical surgeon"' group showed a beneficial decrease in the operating room. Any patient who has been in an operating theatre will know that it is no easy matter to feel less anxious there than in the waiting room, so this result seems inspiring. Recorded music is often played in operating theatres, but I had never heard of live music being played. "No complications occurred during or after surgery due to the presence of a piano in the OR", the study notes drily. The surgeon played relaxing, melodious music in a gently flowing tempo. Were the patients responding only to the music, or to the fact that their own surgeon was playing it? As the study speculates, "this may have added a further level of confidence in his surgical skill." I'm a classical pianist and, in the thoroughly non-medical setting of the concert hall, I've been struck by how often audience members confide that they have experienced some kind of beneficial effect on their wellbeing or state of health. All kinds of music can be beneficial, but I believe there is something about classical music which makes it specially effective, and I think its therapeutic effects could be more widely harnessed. The long spans of the music, the interplay of melody and harmony, the complex structure, the low volume levels, the absence of amplification, the subtlety of its rhythms – all these are conducive to a pleasurable meditative state at the very least. Moreover, the sight and sound of music being made near you, and for you, can be profoundly affecting. Having musicians and instruments in an operating theatre presents some tricky hygiene issues. Nevertheless my instinct tells me that live music must be more effective than recorded. I believe that the brain can distinguish between live and electronically reproduced music, and that live music is mysteriously more potent. If it reduces the need for sedation, and makes the patient feel calmer, it must be worth exploring the path outlined by the Hawaii experiment.

Calling Dr. Mozart!

2008-07-15T09:50:00.000-04:00

The operating room of a hospital is a highly stressful place. Surgeons and assistants have to be extremely attentive, moving quickly but carefully. Playing music during surgeries has been shown to relax the staff and the patients. Some of the benefits that extend to the recovery room are lower heart rate, blood pressure and reduced need for pain medication.Dr. Claudius Conrad, now a senior surgical resident at Harvard Medical School, suggests music can go even further. He’s published a paper suggesting that music can stimulate a 50 percent jump in pituitary growth hormone. The hormone is associated with stress but, paradoxically, can help exert healing. Dr. Conrad is also a classically-trained pianist with a doctorate in music theory.Also, the study of music therapy has evolved in the United States for the past half a century, and there’s growing evidence that music is as good for the body as it is for the soul.

Live piano music in surgery? Why not??

2008-06-26T21:16:00.000-04:00

By Helen Altonnmailto:haltonn@starbulletin.com?subject=http://starbulletin.com/2008/06/25/Classical music played on a piano in the operating room for 115 patients having eye surgery at the former St. Francis Medical Center-Liliha had "profound" physical benefits, it was reported today. The music lowered the patients' blood pressure and heart and respiratory rates before any sedation or pain medication, according to a paper in the Medscape Journal of Medicine, a Web resource for physicians of peer-reviewed medical journal articles. Dr. Jorge Camara, a classically trained pianist and ophthalmologist, played music for patients before surgery as part of a study from May to August 2005 to demonstrate the medical benefits of music. The classical and semi-classical pieces ranged from Debussy's "Arabesque No. 1 in E Major" and Chopin's "Etude in E Major, Op. 10 No. 3," to "The More I See You," by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon. The patients, 49 to 79 years old, were having surgery for the first time. The study reports average decreases of 21 percent in their blood pressure, 8 percent in heart rate and 21 percent in breathing rate. "This sentinel paper validates the growing evidence that listening to relaxing music has profound beneficial effects on the physiologic functions of the human body," said Camara, director of ophthalmology in the Department of Surgery, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. He believes it's the first study in which a surgeon performed on a piano in an operating room for patients before surgery. When Camara began the project, Samuel Wong, former Honolulu Symphony music director, and Arthur Harvey, former University of Hawaii music professor and researcher, joined him in playing the piano for patients. A total of 203 patients underwent ophthalmologic procedures when the piano was in the operating room, but 88 had no music played. The result was "a statistically significant increase of their mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate," the study found. Co-authors of the paper, "The Effects of Live Classical Piano Music on the Vital Signs of Patients Undergoing Ophthalmic Surgery," are Joseph Ruszkowski, Kamehameha Schools music teacher, and Dr. Sandra R. Worak, a research fellow trained by Camara now working in the Philippines. No complications were associated with the music, and patients "were very happy their doctor was playing the piano for them," Camara said in an interview. He said Kahala painter Laurie McKeon, 57, one of the patients who heard live music, wrote about the experience, explaining how scared she was to have surgery and how the piano music made a huge difference. She wrote: "The music soared above me, swirled around me. It penetrated through my pores, beyond my ears, past my mind and somehow, into my heart. I felt at peace. I felt safe. I felt like everything was going to be just fine. And it was." Camara no longer has live piano music in his operating room but patients hear a recording of him playing the piano. He is past president of the Aloha Medical Mission and has given three piano concerts to benefit the organization at the Neil Blaisdell Concert Hall. Citing growing interest in the medical benefits of music, he said, "So much more has to be studied," such as the effect on male versus female patients and rap music versus relaxing classical music. "This is only the beginning of a journey that will open our eyes to the wonderful potential of music for healing," he said. The paper can be seen on http://www.medscape.com/.

Music and Surgery coming to Lexington!

2008-06-21T23:19:00.000-04:00

Dr. Jay Zwischenberger, UK chief of surgery, plays his harmonica. Staff and patients are said to find "Dr. Z's" music a source of reassurance and comfort. June 13, 2008 Musicians have long known intuitively that experiencing the rhythms, harmonies and melodies of music —as listener or performer— can help mend the troubled mind, body and soul. And health professionals have long shared an intuitive understanding that this healing quality of music has a lot to offer medical science; witness the calming heart-rate monitors in a Savannah neo-natal ward as the regular visits of a harpist get underway. Now these enduring intuitions are converging to form the basis of an innovative program integrating the arts in health care at the new Chandler Medical Center at the University of Kentucky.

Seven Spiritual Ways to Prepare for Surgery

2008-05-19T22:50:00.000-04:00

This article appeared in Positive Thinking and was written by Paul Sterman.

My wife, Joelle, was scheduled for surgery to remove her right adrenal gland in three months, and she was terrified. "Every night I'd wake up and my heart would be racing," she recalls. "Fear would come over me. And panic."It's a common reaction when facing a medical procedure. Some people are psychologically scarred by a past experience. Others fixate on the pain they might suffer, or like Joelle, on the helplessness of anesthesia. "I was afraid of not waking up or feeling really disoriented," she says. "It's that loss of control that's so scary."If you're a stressed-out patient like my wife was, there's hope. You can take steps to face down your fears. Joelle did, and they made a dramatic difference. Her strategies:Don't deny your fearSheila Messina, an R.N. who has had a dozen major surgeries, says it's helpful to recognize your anxiety and get your feelings out in the open. Stay connected with your friends and family. A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that patients with a large support network feel less anxiety and pain prior to operations and have a quicker, smoother recovery.Ask questionsTalk to your physician and to other patients. Joelle peppered her doctor, Christopher Ng, M.D., of Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, with questions. His answers gave her a better idea of what to expect. Dr. Ng also put her in touch with patients who'd undergone the same operation. Talking to them "made me feel like I wasn't alone," Joelle says. "They survived—so could I."Meet your anesthesiologistMessina does this well ahead of an operation and is honest with the specialist about her fear, because it can affect her response to anesthesia. "We tend to become hypertensive when we are fearful, which can make recovery more complicated," she writes in her essay "Making Friends With Fear" in the journal Nutrition.Practice daily relaxation in the weeks leading upto surgeryJoelle used the techniques in psychotherapist Peggy Huddleston's book and CD, "Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster." Huddleston recommends daily relaxation exercises such as deep breathing, meditation and guided imagery (picturing positive images in your mind, like a tranquil scene on a lake or the face of a person who makes you happy). Once you get the hang of these techniques, you can use them in the hospital to bring inner peace.Have a loved one keep you company before the operationWhat's the best thing friends and family can do? "Just stay there with them, hold their hand, have them take deep breaths," says Cathy Smith, an R.N. for Fairview Southdale Hospital in Minnesota. "They might need to cry a little or talk about their fears."Listen to music during pre-opResearch shows music reduces anxiety and blood pressure in hospital patients. It helps people focus on something other than their worries and the hospital noises around them, Smith notes. "Some even play music during their operation," she adds. "It brings them calmness and makes the heart rate slower, which is a good thing because it means less sedation may be needed." She says that ritual music, such as Tibetan chants, is particularly effective, but the important thing is to choose whatever makes you feel relaxed and uplifted. Joelle made a mix tape that included disco tunes, numbers from The Lion King and "slow songs we danced to at our wedding."Bring a little piece of home to the hospitalHuddleston suggests taking along photos and other belongings that help you feel comforted, relaxed and secure. Joelle brought a special blanket and a photograph from our honeymoon in Yosemite.All of the effort my wife put into learning what she could do to combat her fear about surgery paid off on the day of the operation. "I felt almost a calmness that morning," Joelle says. She came through the surgery with flying colors.

Sufi Music in Surgery? Eyes wide shut??

2008-05-11T23:18:00.000-04:00

(from the Turkish Daily News) Patients of the cardiac surgery intensive care unit at Memorial Hospital are treated with Sufi music therapy. The department’s medical specialist Erol Can, a Bulgarian immigrant of Turkish descent, tries to heal his patients through playing the ney, a traditional Sufi instrument. The tranquilizing sound of Sufi music echoes in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit of Istanbul's private Memorial Hospital where patients undergo Sufi music therapy as part of their treatment. Medical specialist Erol Can, who pioneered this treatment, was a member of the Turkish community in Bulgaria who were forced to migrate to Turkey in the 1980s. Upon his arrival, Can began researching the effects of the sound of the reed flute (ney) on the mental and physical health of his patients. Each day, while sitting next to one of his patients, Can played the ney and tried to see whether it had any effect on the patient's heart rhythm and blood pressure. After a series of experiments, he proved that Sufi music had positive effects on each patient's health condition. “We got negative results only for one patient,” said Can, noting that the patient was suffering from post-surgery depression at the time. This led Can to undertake further research, where he found that some parts of certain musical genres have negative effects on the individual. “Some parts are not suitable for patients who suffer from depression,” he said. He later decided to ask his patients which musical genre they prefer. Can had received a number of medals by Bulgarian authorities before the forced migration took place. He also hold a dozen of honorary diplomas, his name is on patented projects and he is the author of some 60 scientific articles so far. A cardiovascular specialist playing the ney Can is a graduate of the Medical University of Varna in Bulgaria. “I was not able to use my real name. The name that the Bulgarian state gave me was Emil Sariyef. And I just had to work two times harder than those genuine Bulgarians in order to be successful,” said Can. H managed to accomplish the impossible in the field of medicine and graduated with a perfect score of 100/100. “This was a kind of response to the discrimination imposed by the Bulgarian state,” he said. In 1989, when he was a PhD student, Can was subjected to forced migration from Bulgaria to Turkey. “Half of the members of my family were left behind. Moreover, I learned at the last moment that my mother had cancer,” he said. But Can also encountered problems upon his arrival in Turkey. “I was penniless. I had to start my life from the beginning. Furthermore, there was a huge cultural gap between me and the new social environment I was surrounded by,” he said, noting that at that point he began using music as a remedy for himself. This is not surprising as Can was born into a musician family and has always been drawn to music ever since his early childhood years during which he learned to play many musical instruments. The Florance Nightingale Hospital in Istanbul was the first institution in Turkey where Can began to practice medicine. He then continued his career at the cardiac surgery intensive care unit of Memorial Hospital. This was where he performed his initial music therapies with the ney. “Once I played the ney for an unconscious patient of mine. When he regained consciousness I asked him how he felt and he told me he had found himself listening to peaceful music in heaven,” said Can. Music therapy an Eastern tradition Can said music has always been a significant part of rituals and ceremonies at special instances like births and deaths throughout history, since the early Pagan times. For him, its positive effects on the human soul cannot be denied. He said he borrowed the music therapy method from the Orient. “In the Medieval times, while some patients used to be burned in the West because they used to be perceived as souls possessed by evil, experts in the East were treating their patients with music and water therapies,” he said. Specifically, the sound produced by the ney and the kemençe (the Eastern equivalent of the fiddle) is the closest to the human voice and therefore gives the human soul a feeling of peace and serenity, he added. Not so long ago, Can himself underwent heart bypass surgery. As he was preparing for the operation, he wanted to hear the sound of the ney. “My blood pressure had jumped to 160 for I was quite nervous before I listened to the ney sound. But after I listened to it, I took my blood pressure again and it was 130,” he said, referring to his personal experience of ney therapy. A mere hours after he awoke, Can began playing the ney as though he had just taken some painkillers.

Music in the Hawaiian OR...continued!

2008-04-24T23:59:00.000-04:00

(See the previous post for the intro to this article.)

Eye-surgery patient Benjamin Semana went to sleep under anesthesia yesterday listening to Dr. Samuel Wong, the Honolulu Symphony's outgoing music director, play Bach and Beethoven on an electric piano in the operating room. Medical benefits of music What: Pan-Pacific Conference on Music and HealingWho: Distinguished speakers and performersWhen: 2 to 6 p.m. tomorrow at the new John A. Burns School of Medicine at Kakaako, and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall. Suggested donation: $100 per person.Sponsor: Dr. Samuel Wong's Global Music Healing Institute The unique, musical setup at the St. Francis Medical Center-Liliha is part of the hospital's new Laser Tear Duct Center, which will be used for all kinds of eye surgery. Wong, who is also an ophthalmologist, stopped playing to observe Dr. Jorge G. Camara perform laser surgery on Semana for a blocked tear duct. But the live piano performance continued with Dr. Arthur Harvey, University of Hawaii music professor and researcher, at the keyboard. While Camara had help yesterday from guest musicians, he's a classically trained pianist, as well as a surgeon, and he plans to play for patients while they undergo and awaken from anesthesia. "I could hear it in the background," Camara said after Semana's operation. "It relaxed me. To have a live pianist is an awesome experience, and to have Dr. Wong by my side is incredible." The Laser Tear Duct Center was blessed yesterday by the Rev. Joe Specht, the hospital's chaplain.

Music in the OR in Hawaii

2008-04-22T22:48:00.003-04:00

I've written many times about my mentor, Dr. Arthur Harvey. He has been a believer of the power of music during surgery for a long, long time. Enjoy this article excerpt from the http://starbulletin.com/2005/05/20/news/story2.html

Dr. Arthur Harvey played classical music on an electric piano at St. Francis Medical Center's new Laser Tear Duct Center yesterday as Dr. Jorge Camara, in colorful hat, operated on patient Benjamin Semana's blocked tear duct and Dr. Samuel Wong observed at right. Wong, the Honolulu Symphony's outgoing music director, is also an ophthalmologist.

A Surgeon's Heart Beats to Music and Medicine in N.J.

2008-04-04T14:24:00.002-04:00

by Robert Wiener NJJN Staff Writer April 03, 2008 For much of his life — indeed, for all of this and much of the past century — Victor Parsonnet has stood at the center of Newark history, especially in the fields of medicine and music. As a cardiac surgeon, he has been closely involved with such pioneering developments as the pacemaker, the transplant, and the artificial heart. As a pianist and patron of the arts, he has until recently served as chair of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and contributed much to its attaining world-class status. And as a third-generation member of the Parsonnet and Danzis families, he is heir to the tradition of quality medical care practiced by his grandfathers, the first Victor Parsonnet and Max Danzis. Now, as he nears the age of 85, the chief of surgery at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center is quick to acknowledge he is “the luckiest man alive.” Late last year, when he stepped down as the chair of the NJSO, observers could be forgiven for assuming that he was at last ready for retirement. “I have not retired,” he insisted in a recent interview. “I am emeritus.” Likewise, when it comes to medicine, he has no intention of stepping down. “I retired in July and unretired a week later. I love to work,” he said. “I love patient care, and I love research, and there is a lot to do. It is very important to me.” He is willing, however, to take a look back on a career in medicine and the arts, even if a few of its chapters have yet to be written. His grandfathers were principals in building “the Beth” in 1901. What began as a 21-bed facility on the corner of West Kinney and High streets is today a state-of-the-art medical center on Lyons Avenue that always made room for the Jewish and African-American physicians denied positions elsewhere. Unlike so many other Jews of his era, the second Victor Parsonnet was born not at the Beth but at a summer home in Deal on the Jersey shore. But his boyhood addresses were in Newark — on High Street and Pomona Avenue — and he attended Maple Avenue School and Weequahic High School. He left Cornell University and entered the U.S. Navy Reserve during World War II, and while in the service, he went to medical school at New York University. There was never a doubt he would follow his father and grandfather into the “family business.” “I was brought up in the Depression era,” he said, reminiscing at a round table in his office in the hospital. “People didn’t have much idea about branching out. All I knew was medicine.” His grandfather’s fatal heart attack in a hospital laboratory helped Parsonnet decide on a medical specialty. “I became interested in sudden death,” he said. It was a field just beginning to grow. The right place At the start of his career, Parsonnet said, “there was no such thing as heart surgery. There was no heart-lung machine. You couldn’t open the chest. The heart-lung pumps began around 1957. Heart surgery began as a specialty in the late 1950s. So I was lucky, I was in the right place at the right time for everything.” At first, he operated on blood vessels. Then, seeking more training, he moved to Houston to study closely with two pioneers, Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley. When Cooley performed the first successful human heart transplant in the United States in 1968 and implanted the first artificial heart a year later in Houston, Parsonnet said, “I never left his side. I scrubbed in with him on every case he did.” When he returned to Newark, Parsonnet began sharing his knowledge and “sort of slid into” doing heart operations on his own. To laypeople, few things seem more awesome and inspiring than a surgeon actually holding a patient’s heart. “But I am less concerned about that than about before and after surgery,” he said. “The operation itself is a treatment. The patient’s relationship with me is more telling, more emotional. It’s more important.” But in 1985 when he performed his first transplant — the first ever done in New Jersey — “what was really exciting was holding someone else’s heart and putting it in this empty space.” After his first five transplants, however, “I didn’t want to keep doing it anymore. I did not want to be up all night, and I was interested in other things.” So he shared his skills with others, helping the Beth become the seventh-busiest heart transplant center in the country and the only one in the state. First pacemaker He hit another milestone in 1961as the first surgeon in New Jersey to install a pacemaker, the internal device used to jolt a malfunctioning heart. Parsonnet with the da Vinci surgical system, a robot that is used to insert probes through the abdomen or chest while a surgeon manipulates them from across the room. Photo courtesy Victor Parsonnet “It was a big deal,” he recalled. “Opening a chest with a heart standing still and sewing the wires in and watching it beat was very exciting. We did 16 that first year.” There are now 400 to 500 doctors installing pacemakers in New Jersey and two to three million worldwide, he estimated. But it was a patient at the Beth, not a doctor, who designed the world’s first stents in 1987, installed in the groin area to detour blood flow around a patient’s blocked arteries. The inventor was an engineer named Dominic Wiktor, who was determined to find a less invasive procedure than the heart operation he had received. Of course, progress in the years since then has been dramatic. Now, said Parsonnet, “a new era of diagnostic technology is just beginning. You can see organs inside in three dimensions.” But Parsonnet said he predicts that the most promising developments will come from stem cells. “It looks like they have something for Parkinson’s Disease that will lead to treating an infinite number of things, such as regrowing parts of organs, treating people with leukemia and other blood disorders, and replacing damaged cells with healthy ones.” “But,” he sighed, “it is a political issue.” Looking at the even broader issue of health care in America, Parsonnet had a speedy one-word diagnosis — “disaster.” “We are nowhere near the best medical care in the world. We are far from the best mortality rate. Cuba has a lower mortality rate than we do. France, Germany, England are doing better than we are. I think it’s a disgrace.” Weight of heredity Along with politics, Parsonnet said he spends “lots of time thinking about religion in general” and feels “very strongly about being Jewish.” “I am a secular Jew. My grandfather, Max Danzis, was a Jewish scholar. My grandparents were immigrants from Ukraine or Russia in shtetls that no longer exist. I have a heavy weight of heredity on my shoulders. My first wife, Mia, was a refugee from the Holocaust, so I have very strong emotional feelings about Jewish tradition — but I am not religious,” he explained. Another family legacy is a love for classical music that started when he began studying piano as a child. He followed his father onto the NJSO board. Parsonnet served as chair when the symphony made its new home at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark in 1997, a milestone for an ensemble The New York Times has called “one of the country’s best regionals.” As chair of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Victor Parsonnet enjoys a post-concert moment with famed violinist Isaac Stern. Photo courtesy Victor Parsonnet “It is one of the most important things I have ever done,” said Parsonnet. “Music is part of me.”

Updates on Music with Surgery

2008-03-10T10:21:00.000-04:00

Good Monday morning to you! As you may know, helping people to use music with their surgery is one of the main things that I do. There is so much research out there on the multiple and varied benefits of music THROUGH HEADPHONES during surgery that it's no surprise that more and more hospitals are offering music to incoming surgery patients during the pre-surgery phase. I'm working hard to create a powerful and easy-to-use system that patients can take into surgery or having waiting for them in the waiting area. I'm working on an eBook right now that will provide a step-by-step process for creating your own surgery playlist and talking with your physician/surgeon about using music before, during and after the procedure.

As I travel around the country I try to talk with as many interested physicians as possible about these ideas. On a recent trip to Sarasota, Florida, I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Marlene Buckler, an ER doc who is very excited about my music and surgery ideas and has given me many insights and suggestions already. I'd like to refer my readers to her website http://www.stayoutofmyer.com/ and suggest that you sign up for her free "Tip of the Week." I've worked with hundreds of people now, helping them choose the perfect music for their procedure. I hope you'll consider it and tell your friends to visit my website for more info! Have a great week!

Music and Anesthesia

2008-02-18T17:41:00.000-05:00

Earlier today I was talking with an old friend about the benefits of music during surgery. Of course the number one benefit that I usually tell people is the fact that reasearch has documented that people using music during surgery have been known to need less than 50% of the usual amount of anesthesia. Why is this important? Because anesthesia is one of the main things that one must recover from after surgery. Pretty much all of the bodily functions such as peristaltic action, come to a grinding halt during surgery. You do know about peristaltic action? Let me quote from Wikipedia: Peristalsis is the rhythmic contraction of smooth muscles to propel contents through the digestive tract. The word is derived from New Latin and comes from the Greek peristaltikos, peristaltic, from peristellein, "to wrap around," and stellein, "to place." In much of the gastrointestinal tract, smooth muscles contract in sequence to produce a peristaltic wave which forces a ball of food (called a bolus while in the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract and chyme in the stomach) along the gastrointestinal tract. Peristaltic movement is initiated by circular smooth muscles contracting behind the chewed material to prevent it from moving back into the mouth, followed by a contraction of longitudinal smooth muscles which pushes the digested food forward."

In other words, you are likely to be very constipated after surgery. The anesthesia causes not only this but lots of other potentially life-threatening conditions. If music through headphones can help, let's do it!!

Super Bowl and Surgery

2008-02-03T22:03:00.000-05:00

Are you watching the Super Bowl? I've got one eye on it and the other on my laptop where I'm working on ways to let people know about all the benefits of music during surgery. Each day brings more requests from people who've just found out that they need surgery and are looking for holistic tools to create a safer surgical experience and improve their chances for a speedy and healthy recovery. In the recent past I've worked with patients having hip replacements, heart surgery, prostate surgery, hysterectomies, and C-sections. It's a fact that listening to your favorite music through headphones greatly decreases patient anxiety and the need for benzodiazepenese and other potentially addictive medications.

It also reduces the amount of anesthesia you'll require during the procedure and the amount of pain medication you'll require after surgery! Is this wishful thinking or superstition? NO! This is documented scientific research that you can read about on my blog "Surgery with Music," listed in the box below. Please check it out and share it with friends and family who might be having surgery in the near future. You can also sign up for a personal surgery consultation HERE. Give yourself every possible benefit for surgery with music chosen especially for you and your procedure.

Hospitilizations and Music

2008-01-12T13:14:00.000-05:00

I've just found out that my mother is back in the hopital. I'm so disappointed and sad because she seemed to be doing so well, but when you have multiple chronic conditions, it really is to be expected I guess. The picture here was made of my mother on her 82nd birthday just a little over a month ago. She was feeling just great then! Anyway, she will undoubtedly be listening to her favorite music while there but she'll also be listening to basketball games on TV because she loves sports of all kinds!! I think when a person is in the hospital the best plan is to let them listen to what they choose but just be sure to offer lots of good music to them. I'll keep you posted!

Should you use Christmas Music with your surgery?

2007-12-20T20:39:00.000-05:00

You know, that may sound like a silly question, but I have gotten it and many more like it and it is actually a very logical question. Is there a magical formula for the music that works best during surgery? Believe it or not, there is! And I'm going to give it to you in a general way The music you already love that is:

slow and steady-tempo of the healthy, resting heartbeat
purely instrumental
no more than three gentle instruments

What do I mean by "gentle instruments"? I mean something like a flute, a harp, a cello, or even a quiet piano. What wouldn't work?...a trumpet, a tuba, anything that has a bit of an "edge" to it. Feel free to disagree, but these are the instruments that people report that they find relaxing, soothing, comforting.

Can Christmas music fall nto this category? Of course! This year I made a CD that is mostly soft, quiet Christmas music. At least one person I know used it during their surgery and reported good results!

Music and Hip Replacements

2007-11-20T14:26:00.000-05:00

This morning I was working with a new client of mine who is having total hip replacement surgery. She's 75 years old and has had a couple ofunfortunate surgical experiences lately in large hospitals. This time she's decided to go with a small local hospital and to try some alternative therapies along with the traditional. In looking online she found my site, http://www.healingmusicenterprises.com/ and loads of information about music and surgery. She immediately set up a 30-minute consultation which we had this morning. She's come up with the idea that she'll get two brand-new Ipod shuffles and use one fo the pre ad post surgery music and one for the surgery music. In talking with her, we came up with several different ideas for her music and I told her how to download it on her computer and then upload it to her iPod. Technology is amazing! Having surgery? Please give me a call so that I can help YOU!

The Hospital of the Future

2007-11-09T18:25:00.000-05:00

Music is being utilized today in hospitals and clinics around the world. Music has an ability to minimize pain, leading to the combination of music and anesthesia in operations where routine medical sedatives are not effective. Music medicine is beginning to be considered a complimentary therapy. "People undergoing surgery require less anesthesia, awaken from anesthesia more quickly and with less side effects, and heal more rapidly when healing music is played before, during and after the surgical procedure. Patients recovering from heart attacks and strokes respond much more quickly to treatment when soothing music is played in their rooms." 1 In 2004, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a report based on 600 studies showing that design in hospitals, including sound and light, can have a dramatic effect on how fast and how well patients recover. The concept is to program the hospital with musical selections, one for every place, time and stage of recovery. From the intensive care unit to the chapel, music will be used in each space to speed up the healing process, assure optimal performance by hospital staff, and help visitors best pass the time and peacefully find their way around. The designers of today's hospitals are thinking about the idea of 'prescriptive sound', sound designed for direct application to ease specific traumas, as part of an effort to create a new holistic healing environment. Many diverse hospitals around the country are incorporating music as therapy in a variety of applications. At St. Agnes hospital in Baltimore , Maryland , critical care patients listen to classical music. "Half an hour of music produces the same effect as 10 milligrams of Valium," reports Raymond Bahr, MD, director of coronary care. At Nathan Goldblatt Memorial hospital in Chicago , Ill , music precedes anesthesia in the operating rooms. The University of Chicago 's Medical Research Center combines music and anesthesia. "Music can reduce anxiety and stress, lower heart rates and blood pressure and help minimize cardiac complications after an operation." "Picture your hospital experience in the year 2084. Your first floor room opens onto a lush courtyard garden. The TV & soap operas have been replaced with the gentle sounds of healing music. Fresh scents of various flowers, spices and herbs waive through the room in prescriptioned response to your ailment. A nearby lamp bathes you in soft colors, which seem to soothe your pain. Barely audible words of encouragement, joy and humor come from the tiny speaker near your pillow. A fantasy? Not so say the participants at the Hospital As Temple conference which took place earlier this year in the Netherlands . Creating a healing environment was the theme of this second of a series of three conferences, organized by the Forum Health Care division of the Davidhuis Foundation in Rotterdam . These series of conferences endeavor to foster a new vision of medicine as it might be practiced in the Hospital of the future."

Will Alice Win the Vogt Award this Year?

2007-10-26T19:14:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I dropped off my 30-page application for the 2007 Vogt Award. You may remember that I applied last year for my invention and made it to the finals only to find out that I needed FDA approval for anything used in surgery. Soooo, I've spent a lot of time this year getting the FDA to approve. I'm sure you know about my invention, right? I hold a preliminary patent and am getting the final patent now. The invention is ______________. Actually I can't give you the precise information because my lawyer says that until I get the final patent it would not be smart to tell people. Suffice it to say that it has to do with delivering music to the patient during surgery for the purpose of reducing the amount of anesthesia required. Once you hear all the details, you are going to LOVE it, I'm seriously hoping that it will revolutionize the field of surgery. Please keep your fingers crossed that I get the award this year because that will help pay for creating the prototype, legal expenses and a little marketing! You can also go to my blogs listed below and catch up on all that I've been doing in the huge field of music medicine. You might especially want to read the "Surgery with Music" blog, listed below. Music without words means leaving behind the mind. And leaving behind the mind is meditation. Meditation returns you to the source. And the source of all is sound. -- Kabir Healing Music Enterprises 2518 Frankfort Ave. Louisville, KY 40206 502-419-1698

Have you heard about the cyberknife?

2007-10-07T14:19:00.000-04:00

Have you heard about the cyberknife? The name certainly cauht my attention but the really exciting thing for me is that the patients use only music to relax before the treatment, i.e. no anesthesia! The following article came from the Star-Telegram.com. "The sharpest knives don't even cut," proclaims a billboard near downtown Fort Worth promoting CyberKnife, a high-tech device that delivers radiation therapy with sub-millimeter precision. Its robotic tracking system keeps a targeted tumor in its crosshair focus while zapping the tumor with 150 to 300 high-energy X-ray beams. We asked Dr. Peter LaNasa, medical director of the Harris Methodist CyberKnife Center in the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Fort Worth, to tell us more: Is it actually a knife? No, it is called the CyberKnife because it can be used to treat tumors with surgical precision, including tumors considered "inoperable" because of their location or because the patient can't tolerate traditional surgery -- for example, a lung cancer patient with severe emphysema. What kinds of cancer is it used for? The CyberKnife can be used for brain, spine, head and neck, lung, liver, pancreas, prostate, bone and other localized tumors. It is not used for tumors that cannot be tracked precisely (tongue) or tumors in organs particularly sensitive to radiosurgery (bowel). Is there any discomfort? No. Patients lie quietly on an open table and listen to music for 45 to 60 minutes. No anesthesia is used. All treatments are performed as outpatient, and Medicare and most insurance plans cover the costs. Are there other CyberKnife centers in this area? There are two in Dallas, one in Tyler, one here, one in Austin and one in San Antonio, but not another going west until you get to Arizona. None in Louisville, KY, I'm assuming!

Surgery with music invention coming along

2007-09-28T23:36:00.000-04:00

This week I've been on vacation in Florida and I've had the distinct pleasure of talking at length with my original music medicine mentor, Dr. Arthur Harvey. I am now in the final stages of choosing music that will be used with my music and surgery invention and we have heard back from the patent office. I am also required to get FDA approval and so am going through the hoops and the red tape to get that. In the end, I believe that all the money I've spent and all the work I've done will be well worth it because this device will change the way surgery is approached by both the doctors and the patient. I'm really excited about it and wanted to share with you a little interview that was done with me today as I was leaving the beach here on Lido Key. Enjoy!

Update on Music with Surgery

2007-09-07T12:07:00.000-04:00

It seems that every day brings new articles and press releases about a certain hospital or surgeon who is now using music routinely with his surgeries. By now, you know that benefits to patients and benefits to surgeon are different. Music for the surgeon came first as Don Campbell's book, "The Mozart Effect" proclaimed back in 1998. Don cited my work educating surgeons at the University of Louisville School of Medicine about benefits of music in surgery, but people were not taking into accout that the patients, even though anesthetized could still hear andbe influenced physiologically by the music. For this reason, doctors and patients alike are becoming more and more aware that the patient needs his own separate and different music during the surgical procedure! What kind of music? Preferably slow, steady, purely instrumental music that comes through headphones directly into the patient's brain through the 8th cranial nerve. This way the patient not only has their heartrate and breathing stabilized through the process of entrainment, but also they don't have to hear the bleeps and blips of OR machines and conversations of surgical staff that are irrelevant and potentially upsetting to them. Currently, I am working on an invention to be used during surgery. The patent is pending but I hope to make a major announcement about its availability in the next six months. Stay tuned! Alice

Music helps doctors focus in the operating room

2007-08-07T13:24:00.000-04:00

If you've been reading this blog for awhile you know what I advocate different music for the patient from what the surgeon hears. The surgeon needs upbeat, high-energy music that keeps him wide-awake and focused while the patient needs slow, soothing, very steady music that will stabilize his heart-rate and breathing. Today I read a story about a hospital and a surgeon that are utilizing music in the O.R. for the surgeon, through iPods! Enjoy! Dr. Kalpaj Parekh has two loves in his life: surgery and rockin' out to Led Zeppelin. He considers himself lucky to do both at the same time. Although "rockin' out" is an exaggeration, music is definitely a fixture for Parekh during surgery. Operating rooms at University Hospitals, along with many other U.S. hospitals, are equipped with sound systems. Surgeons say music relaxes them, focuses their attention, relieves tension and even helps pass the time. "I think it just relaxes me right away. It takes the pressure off," said Parekh, 38, a cardiothoracic surgeon who operates on the heart and lungs. "It cuts out all the other noise that I don't want to listen to." Music as a tool in health care is not new. Studies have shown that it helps patients recover after surgery. But research also shows that even surgeons benefit from hearing their favorite tunes. A study done in 1994 by the State University of New York found not only that surgeons performed better with music, but that being able to pick their own music also made them even more proficient. "I find that when I'm operating it's very visual, and I think the music, in a way, does something to keep the verbal side of my brain busy. It's kind of a strange feeling, (but) maybe it's complementary," said Dr. Grant Hamilton, a University Hospitals' surgeon who does facial plastic and reconstructive surgery on the head and neck. Surgery can be routine and short or it can be highly stressful and stretch on the entire day. Although very little talking occurs, the murmurs of machines and other extraneous noise are loud enough to make hours seem like days, said Dr. Mark Iannettoni, 49, of University Hospitals. "There's no talking. Nothing is routine, and there's always a lot of tension," he said. "Music relieves that without making people slack off." Dr. John Canady, a plastic surgeon known for working on cleft lip and palate, prefers that music blend in as background noise when he operates at University Hospitals. "Some surgeons don't like to have any background distraction in the OR at all," said Canady, 49. "For me, it depends on the case, the mood I'm in going into the case, how difficult the case will be." University Hospitals provides a radio sound system in its operating rooms, but in the age of technology, doctors are opting for iPods hooked into speakers. That way they can play their own playlists. Parekh is happy with classic rock, mostly Led Zeppelin, and in particular "Tangerine" or "The Rain Song." Hamilton listens to music by the decade. Sometimes it's the Eagles' "Hotel California," and at times, every pop song played in the '80s. Iannettoni's tastes run from Dave Matthews to Eminem. Canady prefers light country or classic rock. Some music is banned from the operating room, although only by the doctor's preferences and out of regard for patients. For personal reasons, Parekh won't play country. Iannettoni thinks heavy metal would be too distracting. Hamilton prefers familiar songs, which keeps him focused on his patient and not on trying to learn the words. Canady refuses to play Barry Manilow. "When properly used, music can contribute to a patient's safety," Canady said. "A more relaxed ... operating room is a safer one." While some might find it unsettling to think that surgery could include more than scalpel and suture, surgeons said music is present only to assist, not detract, from their work. Hamilton, recalling one surgeon in his residency that turned the OR into what seemed like a bass-thumping dance hall, said music is usually loud enough to be effective but never so loud that it distracts. "You can hear it, but we can easily talk and be heard," Hamilton said. The surgeons said music is common in the operating room and becoming more regular with the younger generation of doctors. Also common, they said, is the seniority that surgeons have to be the real DJs of the medical team. "Even though surgery is a team approach, it's surgeons who get to pick the music, unfortunately," Parekh said.

In surgery, practice makes perfect

2007-07-28T12:57:00.000-04:00

We know that practice makes perfect in music, in sports and in most everything else, but read this important release about the importance of choosing an experienced surgeon. And tell your friends about this too!

WASHINGTON (AP) - Practice matters for doctors, too: A 15-year study found men whose cancerous prostates were removed by a more experienced surgeon were less likely to relapse. Specialists have long advised people who need surgery for whatever reason to pick an experienced surgeon. But how experienced? For prostate cancer, surgeons seemed to improve until they'd done 250 of the operations, concludes the study published Tuesday by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center tracked the outcomes of more than 7,700 men who had their cancerous prostates removed between 1987 and 2003 by 72 surgeons at that hospital and three other respected university-based hospitals. Within five years of their prostate removal, 17.9 percent of men treated by inexperienced surgeons _ those who had done just 10 prior operations _ had evidence that their cancer was back. Among men treated by experienced surgeons _ 250 prior operations _ 10.7 percent relapsed.

Great success using music with knee replacement surgery

2007-07-17T14:26:00.000-04:00

The stories keep pouring in of people who have used music through headphones with their various surgeries and had faster recoveries, less anesthesia and overall better experiences. One woman told me that if she had not had her headphones and music in the recovery room that the noise level in there would have driven her crazy. When you're in a large room with lots of other people who have just had surgery, it's inevitable that there will be a few people who are in acute pain. As you know, when people are in pain, they often cry out or at least moan and groan! My patient (who recently had knee replacement surgery) had to get past a nurse who initially said no to get to her anesthesiologist who said "I can't imagine why it would cause any harm and if it makes you feel better, then go right ahead!"

PLEASE contact me at chantdoc@healingmusicenterprises.com and let me hel you prepare for your surgery with music. If you live in the Louisville, KY area I can even come to your home. If you live in Seattle or Boston or Dallas, we can do it over the phone or even have a teleseminar! Please take advantage of this easy-to-use technique that can greatly improve your chances of a successful surgery!

Should the patient choose his own music?

2007-06-12T23:02:00.000-04:00

Would you prefer to choose your own music for surgery? The responses I get are about 50/50. Many people do want to choose their favorite music because they have definite musical taste and don't want to risk having someone else choose the music that accompanies them into a long (or even a short!) surgery. Then there are those who would prefer that someone else choose relaxing music for them. If you do want to choose your own music, keep these guidelines in mind:

1. Studies show that instrumental music is best. Lyrics tend to engage the left brain causing the patient to begin analyzing the music; not relaxing!

2. Choose some music that has the tempo of a healthy resting heart beat...between 40-50 beats per second.

3. Choose music that has positive associations for you. Music that you have loved for many years is always good.

4. You can choose music that you don't know well or maybe have never heard. Just listen to enough of it that you know it isn't upsetting or agitating.

5. Many people believe that slow classical music is best.

6. Some people really prefer slow and soft New Age music.

7. Personal taste in music is the key that opens the mind and body to a good surgical experience.

As soon as you know you're going to need surgery, start listening to many types of music. You know what you respond to. Talk with confidence to your surgeon about what you want to do. There is plenty of research that documents the benefits. You won't regret it! Let me know if I can help!

Man sings to infant daughter during surgery

2007-05-15T23:50:00.000-04:00

Just moments ago I read about a man who sang a love song to his six-month-old daughter during her open-heart surgery. The original citation of this can be found at http://teamtsunamiblog.blogspot.com/. What a beautiful thing! I would love to know more about this story but it definitely seems like a good idea! What do you think? Just click on "comment" and share your reaction to this. You don't have to sign up for a Blogger account but you'd probably enjoy that!

iPod or Headphones in surgery?

2007-04-11T22:53:00.000-04:00

With all the news and research about the numerous benefits of music for the patient undergoing surgery, many people are wondering if actual headphones or iPod earbuds are best. At this point, I would say that overall, headphones are best, primarily because they will have a more secure fit. There are many cases in which the iPod would probably be fine but my experience is that with some patients they just don't stay in the ear securely. Babyboomers and older are not used to earbuds and so are probably better off with full headphones that comfortably cover the entire ear. After all, one of the benefits is blocking conversations that the medical staff might be having that the patient doesn't need to hear. Please write to me on this blog with your questions and concerns.

An interesting surgery experience

2007-03-27T21:04:00.000-04:00

Recently, a friend of mine's son had to have brain surgery. Thankfully, the tumor was benign and he is recovering fabulously well, but over coffee the other day, the father related an interesting and humorous experience his son had while coming out of the anesthesia. Apparently he was thinking of the new TV Show "Deal or No Deal." In his "dream state" he was playing the game and was asked "deal or no deal." He said "deal" and when the pretty girl opened the case, in it was a NEW BRAIN!

What does this have to do with music? Nothing, but I thought my readers would enjoy the story! Actually I will say this: if my friend had been wearing headphone (or earbuds in this case since it was brain surgery) he might or might not have had this dream. I believe that music affects the thoughts and probably dreams of people who are listening. In this case, the dream was funny and amusing. I believe that the chances for a positive surgical experience are greatly increased when listening to music through headphones or earbuds.

Recent Research on Music and Surgery

2007-03-07T21:33:00.000-05:00

There is so much data about the benefits of music before, during and after surgery. You can search by type of surgery or you can search by type of adjunctive intervention like music, relaxation tapes, aromatherapy or any of dozens of things! If you want to see some of the most recent, go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez. Just do a search for what interests you most. Please let me know how I can help you!

You can also visit http://www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com/listmailings/email_temp_pain.html

Plan ahead for surgery, if you can

2007-02-20T21:43:00.000-05:00

Many people cannot plan ahead for surgery beause it is last-minut and urgent. However, if you do have some advance notice start making plans to use music before, during and after the surgery. There is lots of documentation that using music through headphones before, during and after surgery can greatly reduce the amount of anxiety medication needed before, the amount of anesthesia needed during and the amount of pain medication needed afterwards.

For more information, order my tape set, CD, or download on how to talk with your doctor before the procedure and then also provides the music that I recommend for you to listen to during the procedure. Go to www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com/products/music_surgery/music_surgery.html

You can also purchase consulting time with me on the website. Best wishes for a healthy result if you're planning to have surgery.

Research on Music with Surgery

2007-02-02T23:38:00.000-05:00

I've been talking about music with surgery for a long time and I believe that hundreds of thousands of people have paid attention and are now asking for music before their surgery. Looking at some of the clinical research is helpful too. Studies have been done around the world but here are two that I thought you might find interesting:

Unassisted music listening has also been studied with patients undergoing elective procedures using regional anesthesia to determine music’s effect on decreasing anxiety levels during surgery. Eisenman & Cohen (1995) studied patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Patients reported that music listening during surgery helped make the time pass more quickly, masked background noises and diverted attention away from the surgical procedure. Anesthetists also reported that patients required less anesthesia, were calmer, and maintained more stable pulse rates and blood pressures. In a similar study, Cruise, Chung, Yogendran & Little (1997) studied elderly patients who were scheduled for cataract extraction surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups. Subjects in group one listened to relaxing suggestions; group two listened to white noise (level of normal noise in a quiet environment); group three listened to operating room noise recorded during a cataract operation; and group four listened to relaxing, classical music with sounds of nature. After surgery, no significant differences were noted in vital signs between any of the groups. No significant differences were found in STAI or VAS scores among the groups before or after surgery. Patients in group four did report being more satisfied with the surgery experience and feeling more relaxed than was reported by other subjects. Results of this study showed a subjective improvement in anxiety with music listening but lacked objective evidence to support music listening as an effective medium to decrease physiological responses caused by stress.

Will the Dr. allow music in surgery?

2007-01-27T22:52:00.000-05:00

Today I was speaking before a group of nearly 100 people. As usual, most of them were shocked and excited to find that when the patient listens to music through headphones during surgery, the amount of anesthesia needed can be decreased by as much as 50%. A valid question is "will the Dr. automatically allow the patient to bring music into the O.R.?" and the answer is "NO." You must let your doctor know as much in advance as possible so that if persuasion is needed, you'll have time to provide evidence and documentation of music's effectiveness. If you are interested in knowing more about this, you can visit my website, www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com or just put "music and surgery" into a search engine. You'll be amazed at how much information is out there!

What do you know about the FDA??

2007-01-05T23:04:00.000-05:00

What do you know about the FDA?? You may remember my invention for delivering music during surgery. The final patent is almost in place and I had applied for an award that would provide money for marketing this device. To my shock and dismay, I did not make the final cut because I was told that anything used in surgery must have FDA approval. I was under the impression that because my device is non-invasive that there was no need for FDA approval. Now I know that this is not true. If one makes any sort of medical claim then FDA approval is necessary. Soooo, it's a bit of a set-back, but also just a little bit more of a challenge, which I'm always up for!! Stay tuned!

Music and Hernia Surgery

2006-12-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

Well, again my mother is having surgery. And this time, she is again having hernia surgery. When she had surgery for a strangulated hernia in May, she discovered that she is even more sensitive to not only anesthesia but also to pain meds. She was given morphine and it totaly knocked her for a loop. I am seriously wondering if because she listened to music through headphones during the surgery, she needed much less morphine but they didn't think about this and just gave her what they would have given anyone else. She was seeing things that weren't there and talking non-stop about whatever popped into her head. This time I am suggesting that she take the same music she listened to during surgery and listen to it in her room for at least 2 or 3 days. The body's memory of this music will help her to be calm and to relax. I'll let you know how it goes! Happy Holidays! Alice

How about Ipods in Surgery?

2006-12-14T21:34:00.000-05:00

Should you take your iPod into surgery? About a year ago, the site www.livescience.com had this to say: If you're headed for surgery, take your iPod. A new study by the Yale School of Medicine confirms previous work showing that surgery patients listening to music require much less sedation. Previous studies left open the question of whether it was music that did the trick, or just the act of blocking out the sound of dropped surgical instruments and other operating room noise. In the new study, researchers tested 90 surgery patients at two facilities. Some wore headphones and listened to the music of their choice. Others heard white noise, that hiss and hum common to office buildings that's designed to drown out harsh noises. Others had no headphones. Blocking sounds with white noise did not decrease sedative requirements, the study found, music did. "Doctors and patients should both note that music can be used to supplement sedation in the operating room," said study team member Zeev Kain, a Yale professor in the Department of Anesthesiology. This is significant folks. Listen up! And please let your doctor know as far in advance as possible that you want to use music through headphones or an iPod. You won't regret it!