Effect of intraoperative noise on postoperative pain in surgery patients under general anesthesia: evidence from a prospective study and mouse model

Background: Most patients are in a noisy environment during abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. This study included patients who underwent abdominal surgery under general anesthesia and established an animal model to determine whether intraoperative noise affects postoperative pain.

Materials and methods: This prospective study included 200 patients who underwent abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. Intraoperative noise and electroencephalograms were continuously recorded, and the mean level and time proportion of noise intensity of greater than 70 dB were calculated. Maximum postoperative pain was assessed using a numerical rating scale at 0-12 h and 12-24 h after surgery, and postoperative analgesia consumption in patients receiving patient-controlled intravenous analgesia was recorded. Postoperative pain intensity and electroencephalogram amplitude were compared between patients with high-noise exposure (time proportion of noise intensity greater than 70 dB ≥40%) and low-noise exposure (<40%). Mechanical pain sensitivity was tested in two groups of mice with plantar incisions exposed to 40 dB or 70-100 dB.

Results: The time proportion of noise intensity greater than 70 dB was identified as an independent risk factor for postoperative pain intensity ( P <0.001). P ain numerical rating scale 0-12 h (4.5±1.5 vs. 3.7±1.3, P =0.001) and 12-24 h (3.9±1.5 vs. 3.2±1.1, P =0.004) after surgery in patients with high-noise exposure was significantly higher than in patients with low-noise exposure. The electroencephalogram amplitude of patients with high-noise exposure was significantly lower than that of patients with low-noise exposure ( P <0.05). In the mouse model, mechanical hyperalgesia in the 70-100 dB group was significantly greater than that in the 40 dB group ( P <0.001).

Conclusion: High-level intraoperative noise exposure aggravates the degree of postoperative pain and analgesic needs of patients undergoing abdominal surgery, which may be related to the impact of noise on the neurophysiological activity of the brain and postoperative hyperalgesia.