Does flying business class protect your veins after surgery?
NCT ID NCT07810179
First seen Sep 09, 2026 · Last updated Sep 10, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers are comparing how much the popliteal vein, a major vein behind the knee, widens during long-haul flights in premium versus economy cabins. The study enrolls 200 adults flying to Bogota for aesthetic surgery. Ultrasound measurements are taken before departure and again after arrival, at 24 hours, and at 48 hours. The goal is to see whether cabin class is linked to vein dilation, which can be a sign of clot risk.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If cabin class affects vein widening after long flights, the findings could inform travel advice for people recovering from surgery or at risk of blood clots.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, so it can show associations but not prove that cabin class causes vein changes. Travelers choose their own seats, and other factors like hydration or movement could explain any differences.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 200 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2024
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Adult international medical travelers with prebooked premium business/first-class or economy-class itineraries of at least 4 hours.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 to 65 years. * Commercial flight to Bogota with at least 4 hours of total airborne time. * Prebooked premium business/first-class or economy-class seat documented before enrollment. * Standardized preflight ultrasound within 24 hours before departure. * Arrival, 24-hour, and 48-hour ultrasound completed before surgery. * Written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Current or prior unprovoked deep venous thrombosis requiring therapeutic anticoagulation. * Therapeutic anticoagulation during the study window. * Current pregnancy. * Lower-extremity condition preventing standardized bilateral popliteal ultrasound. * Surgery, prolonged immobilization, or major intravenous fluid administration before completion of the 48-hour scan. * Use of cabin upgrade after baseline or inability to verify the actual cabin flown.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Clinica INO
RECRUITINGBogotá, Colombia
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