Mechanochemical Ablation Versus Ultrasound-Guided Foam Sclerotherapy of the Great Saphenous Vein

Mechanochemical Ablation Versus Ultrasound-Guided Foam Sclerotherapy of the Great Saphenous Vein: Randomized Clinical Trial

This study compares two minimally invasive treatments for varicose veins in the legs, specifically the great saphenous vein.

Varicose veins can cause symptoms such as leg pain, swelling, and skin changes. One commonly used treatment is foam sclerotherapy, where a special foam is injected into the vein to close it. This method is simple and allows patients to return quickly to their daily activities, but sometimes the vein can reopen, requiring additional treatments.

Another option is mechanochemical ablation, which combines a small device with a medication to close the vein. This method also allows for quick recovery and may have a lower chance of the vein reopening.

In this study, 50 patients with varicose veins will be randomly assigned to receive one of these two treatments. Doctors will follow patients over time to evaluate:

How well the treated vein stays closed Improvement in quality of life Pain during the procedure Possible complications All procedures are performed with local anesthesia, and additional small varicose veins are treated at the same time.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Varicose Veins of Lower Limb; Varicose Veins of Leg With Long Saphenous Vein Distribution
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Flebogrif; Drug: Polidocanol foam sclerotherapy

Detailed Description

Introduction:

Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is a widely used method for the treatment of lower limb varicose veins. Its main advantages include applicability in patients at high surgical risk and immediate or early return to daily activities. However, it requires a higher number of reinterventions compared to other techniques due to increased rates of venous recanalization, particularly in larger-caliber veins. In contrast, mechanochemical ablation shares these advantages and is associated with lower recanalization rates.

Objective:

To compare ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy of the great saphenous vein (GSV) with mechanochemical ablation using the Flebogrif® catheter in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) associated with GSV disease. The primary endpoints will be quality of life assessment and GSV occlusion rate, as determined by lower limb venous color Doppler ultrasonography over the proposed follow-up period. Secondary endpoints include the incidence of treatment-related complications and pain level during the procedure.

Patients and Methods:

A total of 50 patients with primary varicose veins will be selected. Inclusion criteria include lower limb pain, edema, or skin changes such as hyperpigmentation, eczema, and lipodermatosclerosis (CEAP classification C2-C4, EpAsPr), as well as GSV insufficiency with a diameter between 6 and 12 mm measured at the mid-thigh using color Doppler ultrasonography. Clinical evaluations and ultrasound examinations will be conducted at the venous disease outpatient clinic, and procedures will be performed in the minor surgery operating room of the University of São Paulo Hospital.

This will be a prospective randomized study, with patients allocated into two groups according to the treatment technique.

Group 1: Percutaneous puncture and ultrasound-guided injection of sclerosant foam through a short 18G catheter.

Group 2: Use of the Flebogrif® catheter, positioned under ultrasound guidance 2 cm from the saphenofemoral junction, followed by catheter withdrawal combined with sclerosant foam injection.

In both groups, 20 mL of 0.9% saline solution will be infused prior to polidocanol administration. The GSV puncture site will depend on the extent of insufficiency (segmental or total), being performed at the knee or medial malleolar region, respectively, after local anesthesia with 2% lidocaine without vasoconstrictor and without infiltration along the venous course.

For knee-level puncture, a tourniquet will be applied distal to the access site and maintained for 5 minutes after foam injection to prevent dispersion into healthy venous segments.

In all patients, varicose tributaries will be treated immediately after the GSV procedure using 1% polidocanol sclerotherapy.

Expected Results:

Mechanochemical ablation is expected to demonstrate a higher target vein occlusion rate with lower recanalization rates, without increased procedural pain and with at least a comparable complication rate to ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy. This study aims to contribute to the refinement of treatment strategies, seeking greater efficacy with monotherapy.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 50
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Antonio Zerati, PhD; Phone Number: +5511996354925; Email: a.zerati@fm.usp.br

Study Locations

• Brazil
  • São Paulo
    • São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
      • Recruiting
      • Hospital da Clínicas da FMUSP
      • Contact: Victor Minari Campos, MD; Phone Number: +5511997596010; Email: victorminaricampos@gmail.com
      • Principal Investigator: Antonio Zerati, PhD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• CEAP Classification C2, 3 or 4
• Insufficient great saphenous vein measuring 6-12 mm in the mid-thigh on Doppler ultrasound.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Allergy to sclerosing substances
• Deep venous thrombosis, stroke, or pulmonary embolism
• Local or generalized infection at the sclerotherapy site
• Prolonged immobilization
• Asymptomatic patent foramen ovale
• Pregnancy Occlusive peripheral arterial disease

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Great saphenous vein insufficiency (1); 25 limbs with great saphenous vein insufficiency	Device: Flebogrif; Mechanical-chemical ablation is a technique for treating varicose veins that combines mechanical damage to the venous endothelium with chemical damage using polidocanol foam.; Drug: Polidocanol foam sclerotherapy; Polidocanol foam is a drug infused into varicose veins, causing chemical damage to the endothelium.
Experimental: Great saphenous vein insufficiency (2); 25 limbs with great saphenous vein insufficiency	Device: Flebogrif; Mechanical-chemical ablation is a technique for treating varicose veins that combines mechanical damage to the venous endothelium with chemical damage using polidocanol foam.; Drug: Polidocanol foam sclerotherapy; Polidocanol foam is a drug infused into varicose veins, causing chemical damage to the endothelium.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Quality Of Life Score: Brazilian Version Adapted from the Aberdeen Varicose Veins Questionnaire	Brazilian Version Adapted from the Aberdeen Varicose Veins Questionnaire will be used. Score from 0 to 100, where 0 is the best and 100 is the worst quality of life related to varicose veins.	From enrollment to the end of treatment at 365 days after procedure
Disease Severity Score: Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS)	Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) will be used. Score from 0 to 30, where 0 means asymptomatic patient and 30 means more symptomatic patient as possible.	From enrollment to the end of treatment at 365 days after procedure
Ultrasound Assessment: Classification of the Second European Consensus Meeting on Foam Sclerotherapy Held in Tegernsee, Germany in 2006	Classification of the Second European Consensus Meeting on Foam Sclerotherapy Held in Tegernsee, Germany in 2006, will be used. Classification where 0 means reflux greater than 1 second, 1 means reflux less than 1 second, and 2 means no reflux.	From enrollment to the end of treatment at 365 days after procedure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Treatment complications	Deep vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, visual disturbances, skin irritation and skin hyperpigmentation.	One to 365 after procedure
Pain Level During Procedure: Visual Analog Pain Scale	Visual Analog Pain Scale will be used. Scale where 0 means no pain and 10 means maximum pain during procedure.	Pain level during the procedure

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Antonio Eduardo Zerati

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Nicolaides AN, Allegra C, Bergan J, Bradbury A, Cairols M, Carpentier P, Comerota A, Delis C, Eklof B, Fassiadis N, Georgiou N, Geroulakos G, Hoffmann U, Jantet G, Jawien A, Kakkos S, Kalodiki E, Labropoulos N, Neglen P, Pappas P, Partsch H, Perrin M, Rabe E, Ramelet AA, Vayssaira M, Ioannidou E, Taft A. Management of chronic venous disorders of the lower limbs: guidelines according to scientific evidence. Int Angiol. 2008 Feb;27(1):1-59. No abstract available.
• Epstein D, Onida S, Bootun R, Ortega-Ortega M, Davies AH. Cost-Effectiveness of Current and Emerging Treatments of Varicose Veins. Value Health. 2018 Aug;21(8):911-920. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2018.01.012. Epub 2018 Mar 15.
• Petrone A, Peluso A, Ammollo RP, Turchino D, Del Guercio L, Andreucci M, Serra R, Bracale UM. Selective crossectomy combined with mechanochemical ablation in the treatment of great saphenous vein insufficiency: Early results of a single center experience. Phlebology. 2022 Aug;37(7):522-528. doi: 10.1177/02683555221092194. Epub 2022 Apr 25.
• Whing J, Nandhra S, Nesbitt C, Stansby G. Interventions for great saphenous vein incompetence. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Aug 11;8(8):CD005624. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005624.pub4.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 14, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 23, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 23, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Mechanical chemical ablation; Flebogrif; Sclerotherapy with polidocanol foam
• Other Study ID Numbers: 83198024.0.0000.0068

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED
• IPD Plan Description: Undecided. Maybe after publication.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No