Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast.
William Congreve
The use of music before, during and after surgery has been employed for years and there are many disparate studies in the literature. Recently, a group from London, England has collected these studies and reports on a meta-analysis of music as an adjunct to postoperative pain.
Here is the article: Download Music Surgery Lancet
"Music could be offered as a way to help patients reduce pain and anxiety during the postoperative period. The timing and delivery can be adapted to individual clinical settings and medical teams."
There was a 2 minute NPR piece on this study (it's a good introduction).
Here is a piece we published in OJCPCD on this topic: "Music as a Complement to Surgery." Or see full essay from OJCPCD.