Comparison of Intraoperative Noise Isolation and White Noise on Postoperative Sleep in Patients Undergoing Flexible Ureteroscopic Holmium: YAG Laser Lithotripsy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: The constantly rising noise level in the operating theatre is not only a heavy burden for healthcare providers but also a threat to patients undergoing general anesthesia. Noise isolation and white noise are two distinct methods for mitigating noise during surgery. Improved sleep quality has a positive effect on patients' postoperative recovery and comfort. This study aimed to compare the effects of the two methods mentioned above on postoperative sleep quality in patients undergoing flexible ureteroscopic Holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy. Methods: A total of 90 patients who were scheduled to undergo flexible ureteroscopic Holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy were included in the study. All patients were randomly assigned to Group N (noise isolation) and Group W (white noise). The primary outcome was the sleep quality scores of patients in both groups on the first postoperative night, which were measured using the Richard Campbell Sleep Scale. Secondary outcomes included pain scores at rest and during activity 24 hours after surgery, intraoperative propofol consumption, and length of postoperative hospital stay in both groups. Results: On the first postoperative night, the sleep quality scores reported by patients in Group N were higher than those of patients in Group W ( Conclusion: For patients undergoing flexible ureteroscopic Holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy under general anesthesia, noise isolation has potential advantages in reducing the consumption of propofol during surgery and improving the quality of sleep on the first night after surgery compared to playing white noise in noise-cancelling headphones. Clinical Trial Registration: This study has also been registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2500097807). Date of registration: February 26, 2025.