Ongoing History Daily: Music in the operating room, part 2

Last time, we answered the question “Is it good for a surgeon to listen to music in the operating room?”  The answer was “yes.” 

Next question: What kind of music should a surgeon and his team listen to in order to be at maximum performance while offering maximum safety to the patient?  The short answer is “it doesn’t matter.” 

As long as the music is pleasing to the people doing the work, the effect is the same.  No particular genre seems to work better than others–although one study suggests that music with varying degrees and tempo and intensity work best, probably because that way, it doesn’t just blend into the background.  What’s important, it seems, is for the surgeon and the team to be at least aware of the music at all times.