The Effect of Light Therapy on Post-Surgical Pain (NCT03674697)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
This is a prospective randomized clinical trial study to investigate two main aspects. The first aspect is to investigate the efficacy exposure to green light emitting diode (GLED) in reducing postoperative opioid medications requirements by 20% as the primary outcome amongst patients scheduled for elective total knee replacement surgery (knee arthroplasty). The second aspect is to reduce postoperative pain by 30%, improve preoperative anxiety by 30%, and improve the quality of sleep pre and postoperatively by 30%. Seventy participants scheduled for elective unilateral primary total knee arthroplasty (total knee replacement) will be recruited from the pain clinic or from the orthopedic surgery clinics at Banner-University Medical Center by the pain or orthopedic physicians who are key personnel of this study. Once a participant is identified, he/she will meet with one of the research team members to explain the nature of the clinical trial and undergo a standard of care medical history gathering and baseline physical examinations. If the participant meets all the inclusion and have no exclusion criteria, he/she will be presented with a written consent in English to explain all the risk and benefits of this clinical trial. Once a participant signs a consent, he or she will be randomized by the study statistician, in a 1:1 ratio to either a GLED group (treatment) or white light-emitting diode (WLED) group (control). The participant will be trained on how to use the light device by one of the research team members. All participants will be exposed to either GLED or WLED for 8 weeks prior to surgery and two additional weeks after surgery.
Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (3 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (7 items).
Location: Banner University Medical Center Tucson — Tucson, Arizona
Age range: 18 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistCheck every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).
Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:
- Exclusion Criteria:
- History of chronic pain requiring chronic opioids equal or greater than 90 Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME)/day
- Severe psychological or psychiatric conditions
- Unanticipated surgical complications, such as prolonged bleeding requiring long hospital stay, infection, dehiscence, and airway complications (anesthesiologist unable to extubate secondary to pulmonary complications
- Surgery cannot be postponed eight weeks from the day of recruitment
- Colorblindness
- On disability, involved in a legal case pending, or receiving compensation for a work-related injury
🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- Banner University Medical Center Tucson — Tucson, Arizona
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
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💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Review the official NIH record below to find the coordinating site.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.