Musical SurgeryWhenever we see an operating room on TV, it is usually full of scary sounds—like beeping monitors, tinkling surgical tools, and mumbling doctors. Well, a recent study by Swedish researchers might change all that. They found that patients who hear relaxing music while under anesthesia have less pain and discomfort after surgery.In their study, Ulrica Nilsson (Orebro Medical Center Hospital in Sweden) and her colleagues report that patients who listened to relaxing music and sounds of ocean waves while undergoing surgery experienced less pain, needed less pain medication, and were able to sit up sooner after their operation than patients who did not listen to music. They were also less likely to feel tired when they went home from the hospital.Apparently, the brains of patients under anesthesia remain more aware of what happens during surgery than previously thought. Patients may overhear the remarks of doctors and nurses, which could lead to anxiety and dissatisfaction after surgery. (Hey, where did that scalpel go?) The findings need to be confirmed in additional studies, but in the meantime, the word for operating room doctors and nurses is…Hush!Which of the following statements best describes how this study will change the world of hospitals and medicine?aMusic and relaxing sounds will be used during surgery. bHospital staff will speak only positive words around patients.cNothing will likely change until more studies confirm the positive effects of music. dPatients in Sweden will recover from surgery faster than those in the rest of the world.