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RecruitingNCT07233616Updated Nov 18, 2025

Risks and Benefits of Radiofrequency Ablation for Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CEAP C3-C6) in Patients Aged 80 and Over

An observational study in Chronic Venous Insufficiency, CVI, Radiofrequency Ablation and Octogenarians(Aged 80 and Over), sponsored by Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 80 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-11-18.

Sponsored by Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by May 2026, 5 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Started Oct 2025; still recruiting 1 year 1 month later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
50
Ages
80 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The prevalence of severe chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is significant in the growing octogenarian population. While radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a standard minimally invasive treatment, robust data on its outcomes and safety profiles specifically in patients aged 80 years and older remain scarce. This study aims to evaluate the risks and benefits of RFA in this specific, high-risk demographic.This prospective, single-arm, single-center cohort study will enroll 50 patients (initial target sample size) aged ≥80 years with CVI classified as CEAP C3 to C6 and with confirmed great or small saphenous vein reflux. All participants will undergo endovenous RFA under tumescent local anesthesia. The primary outcomes are: 1) the great/small saphenous vein occlusion rate at 6 months, assessed by duplex ultrasonography, and 2) the change in disease-specific quality of life from baseline to 6 months, measured by the Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire (AVVQ). Secondary outcomes include occlusion rates at 1 and 3 months; complication rates (e.g., deep vein thrombosis, skin burns, paresthesia) within 30 days; and changes in the Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) at predefined intervals over 6 months.This study is designed to demonstrate a high technical success rate (occlusion rate >95% at 6 months) and a statistically significant improvement in AVVQ and VCSS scores at 6 months post-procedure. The collected data will provide a detailed profile of complication rates, characterizing the safety of RFA in this very elderly cohort.This study will provide crucial, prospective evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of RFA for treating CVI in octogenarians. The findings are expected to guide clinical decision-making and inform treatment guidelines for this vulnerable and expanding patient population.

02

Conditions studied

  • Chronic Venous Insufficiency, CVI
  • Radiofrequency Ablation
  • Octogenarians(Aged 80 and Over)
  • Cohort Study
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the lead sponsor of 59 studies on the registry; 14 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
80 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

The study population consists of patients aged 80 years and older who are diagnosed with symptomatic, severe chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), classified as CEAP clinical classes C3 through C6, and have confirmed great or small saphenous vein reflux.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Age: Aged 80 years or older.
  2. Clinical Diagnosis: Symptomatic chronic venous insufficiency of the lower extremity, with the highest clinical class (CEAP classification) being one of the following:

    • C3: Venous edema
    • C4a: Pigmentation or eczema
    • C4b: Lipodermatosclerosis or atrophie blanche
    • C5: Healed venous ulcer
    • C6: Active venous ulcer
  3. Confirmed Reflux: Color duplex ultrasound examination confirming reflux (reflux time > 0.5 seconds) in the great saphenous vein (GSV) and/or small saphenous vein (SSV) of the target limb.
  4. : The patient or their legally authorized representative is able to understand and voluntarily provides written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants who meet any of the following criteria will be excluded from the study:

    1. Mobility: Non-ambulatory or bedridden.
    2. Thrombosis: Presence of acute superficial thrombophlebitis of the target vein, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the target limb.
    3. Arterial Disease: Significant peripheral arterial disease, defined as an ankle-brachial index (ABI) \< 0.8 in the target limb.
    4. Coagulopathy: Uncorrectable coagulation disorder.
    5. Allergy: Known severe allergy to local anesthetics (e.g., lidocaine) or relevant device materials.
    6. Cognition \& Compliance: Severe cognitive impairment or psychiatric illness that, in the investigator's judgment, precludes adequate understanding and cooperation for the study procedures and follow-up.
    7. : Life expectancy of less than 1 year due to other comorbid conditions (e.g., terminal ).
    8. General Unsuitability: Any other condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, makes the patient unsuitable for participation in the study.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(3)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Life expectancy

The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
50 participants (estimated)
Target follow-up
6 Months
Patient registry
Yes

Interventions

  • ProcedureEndovenous Radiofrequency Ablation

    All patients undergo endovenous radiofrequency ablation(RFA) under local tumescent anesthesia. Using the ClosureFast™ system (or equivalent), the target saphenous vein is accessed percutaneously under ultrasound guidance. After catheter placement and tumescent anesthesia infiltration, radiofrequency energy is delivered segmentally to ablate the vein. Post-procedure, compression bandaging is applied and Class II compression stockings are prescribed.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Great/Small Saphenous Vein Occlusion Rate at 6 Months

    Time frame: 6 Months

  2. Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire (AVVQ)

    Minimum Score: 0 Maximum Score: 100 Interpretation of Higher Scores: A higher score indicates more severe symptom distress and greater impact on quality of life caused by varicose veins in patients. For example, it reflects more obvious discomforts such as leg pain, a heavy sensation in the legs, and swelling.

    Time frame: 6 Months

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Kulkarni SR, Slim FJ, Emerson LG, Davies C, Bulbulia RA, Whyman MR, Poskitt KR. Effect of foam sclerotherapy on healing and long-term recurrence in chronic venous leg ulcers. Phlebology. 2013 Apr;28(3):140-6. doi: 10.1258/phleb.2011.011118. PubMed 22422794 ↗
  • Williamsson C, Danielsson P, Smith L. Catheter-directed foam sclerotherapy for chronic venous leg ulcers. Phlebology. 2014 Dec;29(10):688-93. doi: 10.1177/0268355513505506. Epub 2013 Sep 26. PubMed 24072751 ↗
  • Mohamed AH, Howitt A, Rae S, Cai PL, Hitchman L, Wallace T, Nandhra S, Pymer S, Knighton A, Smith G, Chetter IC, Carradice D. Ten-year outcomes of a randomized clinical trial of endothermal ablation versus conventional surgery for great saphenous varicose veins. Br J Surg. 2024 Aug 2;111(8):znae195. doi: 10.1093/bjs/znae195. PubMed 39162334 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Started Oct 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for May 2026, 7 months after the start.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Sep 28, 2025
First posted
Nov 18, 2025
StartActual
Oct 1, 2025
Primary completionEst.
May 30, 2026
CompletionEst.
Sep 1, 2026
Last update
Nov 18, 2025
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 18, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07233616
Lead sponsor
Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Responsible party
Chunshui He (chief physician, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 18, 2025
Start date
Oct 1, 2025
Primary completion
May 30, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Sep 1, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 18, 2025

Study contacts

Chunshui He Doctor
Contact
Chunshuihe@msn.com
18981885601

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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