Efficacy of the SALFOAM 3% Method Compared to the Conventional Polidocanol Foam Method (Tessari Method) for Treating Lower Limb Varicose Veins (SALFOAM 3%)

November 20, 2025 updated by: Lidiane Rocha
This clinical trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of the SALFOAM 3% method, which involves saline wash, polidocanol 3% foam injection, and extrinsic compression using Lidstop®, in comparison with the conventional Tessari method for the treatment of lower limb varicose veins. The primary objective is to determine whether the SALFOAM 3% method results in better or equivalent vein occlusion rates and fewer adverse effects, such as hyperpigmentation, compared to the standard treatment.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Chronic venous disease (CVD) is prevalent in approximately 38% of the adult population in Brazil, posing significant public health challenges due to its potential complications, including ulcerations and reduced quality of life. The SALFOAM 3% method is a novel approach that combines saline wash prior to polidocanol 3% foam sclerotherapy and extrinsic compression with Lidstop®, aiming to improve outcomes by reducing adverse effects such as hyperpigmentation and enhancing patient quality of life. This randomized controlled trial will compare the efficacy, safety, and quality of life outcomes of patients treated with the SALFOAM 3% method versus those treated with the conventional Tessari method for lower limb varicose veins.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
35

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Brazil
    • São Paulo
      • São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
        • Hospital São Luiz Gonzaga

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged 18 years or older with clinically confirmed varicose veins in the lower limbs by ultrasonography.
  • All Fitzpatrick skin types (I-VI).
  • Ability to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Known allergy or adverse reaction to polidocanol or similar agents.
  • Active infection in the area of treatment.
  • Immunosuppressed patients.
  • Severe coagulopathies or a history of recent deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
  • Diagnosis of patent foramen ovale.
  • CEAP classification VI (active venous ulcers).
  • Use of medications that may interfere with the study outcomes.
  • Inability to comply with the study protocol or refusal to participate.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: SALFOAM 3%
Participants in this group will receive a saline wash, followed by an injection of polidocanol 3% foam using the Tessari method, and extrinsic compression with Lidstop® over the treated vein. This is followed by the application of elastic compression stockings (20-30 mmHg) for 72 hours.
Procedure: SALFOAM 3%
  • Drug: Polidocanol 3%
  • Device: Lidstop®
Active Comparator: Tessari Method
Participants in this group will receive the conventional Tessari method of polidocanol 3% foam injection, followed by compression with a dental roll and elastic compression stockings (20-30 mmHg) for 24 hours.
Procedure: Control Group
  • Drug: Polidocanol 3%
  • Device: Standard compression with dental roll and elastic stockings

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Vein Occlusion Rate at 30 Days
Time Frame: 30 days post-procedure
Vein occlusion will be measured using Doppler ultrasound to assess whether the treated veins are completely occluded, partially occluded, or not occluded at 30 days post-procedure.
30 days post-procedure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Hyperpigmentation Rate
Time Frame: 7 and 30 days post-procedure
Incidence of hyperpigmentation will be evaluated using a 4-point scale (1 = absent, 2 = mild, 3 = moderate, 4 = severe) at 7 and 30 days post-procedure.
7 and 30 days post-procedure

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Adverse Event Rate
Time Frame: 7 and 30 days post-procedure
Incidence of adverse events, including thrombophlebitis, skin ulceration, and other complications, will be assessed through clinical and ultrasound evaluations.
7 and 30 days post-procedure
Quality of Life Improvement
Time Frame: 30 days post-procedure
Measured using the revised Venous Clinical Severity Score (rVCSS) to assess changes in the quality of life of participants at 30 days post-procedure. The total score ranges from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 30 for a single limb. Minimum score: 0. This indicates the complete absence of symptoms or signs for all 10 characteristics. Maximum score: 30. This indicates the most severe symptoms and signs across all 10 characteristics.
30 days post-procedure

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Lidiane Rocha

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Lidiane Aparecida Ferreira Rocha

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 25, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 14, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 14, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 28, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 30, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 31, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 20, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • SALFOAM 3%

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

De-identified individual participant data (IPD) will be shared after publication. Data sharing will include the study protocol, statistical analysis plan, and final dataset.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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