SpineSports Medicine

The best music to pump up or calm down orthopedic, spine surgeons in the OR

By Laura Dyrda

Six orthopedic and spine surgeons discuss what music they use in the operation room to pump them up — or calm them down — during cases.

Jeffrey Carlson, MD, President of Orthopaedic and Spine Center in Newport News, Va.: I don’t listen to a lot of music in my regular life but in the OR music helps me and the staff relax during some intense times. Mostly we listen to happy Top 40 with upbeat rhythms. The pace of the music seems to provide a background for moving through the surgical day. Slower music tends to slow the whole day down and slows the pace of surgery. Of course being in Virginia, “Happy” by Pharrel is a favorite, but Taylor Swift, Katie Perry and I-G-G-Y play throughout the day. “Closing” music tends to be a bit more lively as we push for the extra energy to finish a surgery or close out the day.

Brian Gantwerker, MD, The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: I have a carefully curated playlist that I have been building for almost 10 years. Music, to me, is critical. It keeps people moving, and establishes a flow to room, that keeps people engaged. I appreciate other people’s lists and do accommodate other musical tastes. My playlists includes artists like Kings of Leon, A Tribe Called Quest, The Black Keys, The Rolling Stones, Deadmau5, Morgan Page, The Smashing Pumpkins, Muse, Billie Holliday, James Brown, and Frank Sinatra (a nod to my dearly departed Grandpa). They are all songs that move me, inspire, or make me smile. That energy is really felt in the OR and to me, makes for a good operation.

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