Effect of noise on the performance of arthroscopic simulator

Background

Noise is omnipresent in the operating room. The average noise in the operating room generally ranges between 60 and 65 dB and can sometimes exceed 100 dB, despite the ARS (Agence Régionale de Santé) and WHO (World Health Organization) recommending levels of 35 dB(A). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different kinds of background auditory stimuli on the performance of surgeons during an arthroscopic simulation task.

Methods

Forty-seven surgeons with varying experience in arthroscopic surgery undertook different exercises under four different conditions: quiet, classical music, hard rock, and sustained chatter. All background auditory stimuli were set at 65 dB(A). Each participant underwent double randomization for the four sound stimuli and the four exercises to be performed. A musical questionnaire was also completed by each participant. Data related to each exercise included operating time in seconds, distance from the camera or instruments in centimeters, and an overall score automatically calculated by the simulator based on safety, economy of movement, and speed (scale: 0–20 points).

Results

Operative time in an environment with classical music was significantly lower than in an environment with hard rock (95.9 s vs. 128.7 s, p = 0.0003). The overall rating in an environment with chatter was significantly lower than in a silent environment (11.7 vs. 15.7, p < 0.0001). The overall rating in an environment with hard rock was significantly lower than in an environment with classical music (14.3 vs. 17.5, p = 0.0008).

Surgeons who preferred listening to music in the operating room performed differently than those who did not. The mean operative time for surgeons who preferred music was 99.52 s (SD = 47.20), compared to 117.16 s (SD = 61.06) for those who did not prefer music, though this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.082). The mean overall score for surgeons who preferred music was significantly higher at 17.46 (SD = 2.29) compared to 15.57 (SD = 3.49) for those who did not prefer music (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that exposure to classical music and silence may confer greater benefits to the surgeon compared to the impact of hard rock and chatter. These conclusions are grounded in significant differences observed in operative time and overall evaluations, highlighting the potential advantages of an environment characterized by acoustic tranquility for surgical professionals. Preferences for music in the operating room also play a role, with those who prefer music demonstrating better performance scores.