The Psychological and Physiological Effects of Vibrotactile Stimulation, Via a Somatron, on Patients Awaiting Scheduled Gynecological Surgery
Carrie L. Walters · Journal of Music Therapy · 1996
This study investigated the effects of vibrotactile stimulation via a Somatron mattress on patients awaiting scheduled gynecological surgery. Thirty-nine women admitted to a local regional medical center between the ages of 19 and 65 years served as subjects for the investigation. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups and received either a vibrotactile (VT), music only (M), or a nonintervention control (C) whilst in the surgical holding area. Pre and post self-reported levels of apprehension, along with select physiological data were recorded. Additional information regarding the specifics of the surgical procedure and patient recovery were also collected and analyzed. Statistical analysis utilizing one way analyses of variance (p < .05) revealed that VT subjects demonstrated significantly less postintervention apprehension than the experimental control; VT and M subjects spent significantly less time in surgery and in the postanesthesia care unit, than C subjects, and the VT and M groups were also found to receive significantly less postoperative medication than the C group. No significant differences were observed with regard to pre and postintervention physiological data, although VT and M subjects revealed a tendency for a reduction in pulse rate following the interventions. VT subjects were also found to consistently demonstrate the least fluctuation in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure throughout the surgical experience. It was concluded that both the VT and M interventions appeared to be beneficial to subjects in a preoperative setting although the two appeared not to differ significantly from each other on any measure apart from the self-report data.