Using personalized music to reduce agitation in children after surgery

Decreasing Emergence Agitation With Personalized Music

Not applicable Interventional Stanford University · NCT05044832

This study is testing if playing personalized music can help young children feel less anxious and recover better after surgery compared to just standard care.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment100 (estimated)
Ages3 Years to 9 Years
SexAll
SponsorStanford University Academic / other
Locations2 sites (Stanford, California and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT05044832 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study evaluates the effectiveness of personalized music in reducing emergence agitation in pediatric patients recovering from elective surgeries under general anesthesia. Children aged 3-9 will be randomly assigned to receive either personalized music along with standard care or standard care alone. The impact of the music intervention will be measured using the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium scores. The goal is to enhance recovery by minimizing anxiety and perceived pain, potentially leading to shorter recovery times and improved caregiver satisfaction.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are children aged 3-9 undergoing specific non-complex ENT procedures such as myringotomy or tonsillectomy.

Not a fit: Patients with chronic sedative use, significant hearing loss, or those uninterested in music may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve the recovery experience for children undergoing surgery, leading to less agitation and better overall outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: While the use of music in clinical settings is not entirely novel, this specific approach targeting emergence agitation in pediatric patients is relatively untested.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria

* patient ages 3-9 (chosen due to high incidence of emergence delirium and presence of musical memory seen in this age group)
* unilateral or bilateral myringotomy procedure, laser treatment for skin lesions, adenoidectomy without tonsillectomy
* tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy

Exclusion Criteria

* Chronic intake of any sedative or analgesic medication
* Combined surgical procedure not otherwise listed in inclusion criteria
* Surgical or anesthetic complications (including use of invasive airway device for myringotomy)
* History of significant hearing loss impeding the ability to hear music
* Lack of interest in music reported by parents or inability to identify personally meaningful music

Where this trial is running

Stanford, California and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Surgical Procedure, Unspecifiedeardrum procedureslaser treatment for skin lesionsadenoidectomy without tonsillectomytonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.