Effect of Music Prehabilitation on Preoperative Anxiety Before Surgery

The goal of this multicenter randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effect of music prehabilitation on preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing elective oncological colorectal resection. Patients will be asked to listen to music three times a day starting one week before day of surgery. Anxiety levels will be compared with the control group that is not explicitly instructed to listen to music by using validated questionnaires

Perioperative music interventions have been proven to have a positive effect on surgical patients regarding postoperative pain, anxiety and stress. Preoperative anxiety is a predictor for postoperative pain. It is hypothesized that preoperative anxiety develops at home. Unfortunately, data on this subject is scarce. Prehabilitation is a relatively new concept, which improves the patient's condition at home waiting for a surgical intervention. No studies exist in which music is implemented as a prehabilitation method. Music interventions are relatively simple low cost, sustainable and know no side effects. The researchers hypothesize that the use of pre-admittance music interventions as a prehabilitation modality in oncological colorectal surgical patients will decrease preoperative anxiety.