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The FLARE Research Study
The principal investigator for this study is Rachael E. Van Pelt, PhD.
This research study is approved by the Colorado Multiple
Institutional Review Board (COMIRB protocol #07-0339)
The IMAGE Group at the University of Colorado Denver is currently recruiting healthy
pre- and postmenopausal women between 35-60 years of age who wish to have
liposuction of the hips and thighs.
Purpose of the Research Study:
The goal of this study is to see where the fat that is eaten in a meal (dietary fat)
is stored once thigh fat tissue has been removed by liposuction. This research study will
determine whether removing thigh fat
by liposuction changes how a woman’s body handles dietary fat. The study will
further test whether there are differences between premenopausal and postmenopausal
women in how they metabolize dietary fat.
We are looking for women who are:
- healthy, non-smoking women aged 35-60 years
- either premenopausal (normal menstrual cycles) OR
postmenopausal (no longer have menstrual cycles) - not using any birth control or hormone therapy
- no diabetes or other chronic disease
- no previous liposuction or gastric bypass surgeries
- stable body weight (no large weight gains or losses in last 2 months)
- willing and able to undergo hip and thigh liposuction surgery
Liposuction Surgery:
All liposuction surgeries for this research study are done at the top ranked
University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) by a board certified plastic surgeon,
Christopher Law, MD. Dr. Law is certified by the American Board of Plastic
Surgery and has been performing liposuction surgeries for more than 15 years.
The liposuction procedure itself is not experimental. Dr. Law uses the
state-of-the-art 'tumescent' liposuction technique which minimizes bruising,
swelling and pain during postoperative recovery. All surgeries are done in one
of the newly built University of Colorado Hospital operating rooms under general
anesthesia. Following the liposuction procedure, postoperative recovery occurs
at the Clinical Translational Research Center (CTRC) where 24 hour hospital nursing
care is provided at no additional cost to the study participant.
Research Study Participation:
Volunteers who meet the entry criteria and whose screening tests are within
normal limits will be invited to participate in the research study. The plastic
surgeon, Christopher Law, MD, must also agree that each study volunteer is a
good candidate for hip and thigh liposuction surgery. Those who qualify and agree
to participate will be randomly placed into either a surgery group or a control
(delayed surgery) group. Random placing occurs by chance, like the flip of a coin.
Neither the study participant nor the investigators have control into which group
someone is placed. There is an equal chance of ending up in either group. However,
surgery is available to both groups at the same cost. The surgery group will have
surgery at the beginning of the study and the control group can have surgery at the
end of the study. Those who qualify and agree to participate will undergo testing
over the course of 14 months at the University of Colorado Hospital and Clinical
Translational Research Center (CTRC).
Costs of liposuction:
TThe cost of the liposuction surgery through the University of Colorado
Hospital is $7010. This surgery price is based on a 2.5 hour liposuction
procedure (done in an OR under general anesthesia) which suctions 4 areas
of the inner and outer hips/thighs. A 2.5 hour procedure is considered
normal/average for liposuction. There is a possibility that a procedure
could take longer, though it is not expected. If a surgery takes longer
than the expected 2.5 hours, there may be extra costs involved.
Costs of liposuction:
The 2.5 hour liposuction surgery package includes:
- $3500 - Surgeon's fee (suctioning of 4 areas of the hips/thighs)
- $3510 - Operating room time (2.5 hours and 'normal' care in the post- anesthesia recovery room)
- $850 for anesthesia (including anesthesia drugs)
- = $7860
- - $850 - All anesthesia fees are paid for by the study.
- Total = $7010 - Up front out-of-pocket cost.
In addition to the anesthesia fees, the research study pays
for compression garments and prophylactic antibiotics and there are no
additional costs for follow-up visits or hospital charges related to the
overnight recovery at the CTRC.
Study volunteers will be compensated up to $1250 for completion of all
research tests over the 14 month study. Thus, the final overall cost of
the surgery comes out to $5760.
Patients will be asked to pay the $7010 at the time of surgery. The
hospital does not offer a payment plan, so patients who are looking for
financing should consider other credit options.
Benefits for Research Study Volunteers:
It is a commitment to participate. However, there are benefits to
participation that go beyond having the surgery. Study volunteers
will receive, at no cost, information regarding their health status,
including testing for diabetes, cholesterol, body fat and bone density.
Eligible participants will also receive monetary compensation.
If you believe you qualify for the study and are interested in participating,
please call Priya Rao at 720-848-7557 or FLARE@uchsc.edu
To view or download a copy of the FLARE Consent Form, please click on link. The
document is in (.pdf) format.
FLARE Consent Form
Links to Additional Information:
For information about plastic surgery, visit the
American Society of Plastic Surgeons, or the
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
For information about surgical weight-loss visit the
University of Colorado Surgical Weight Loss Center.
For a map and driving directions to the University of Colorado Hospital and
University of Colorado Denver the Anschutz Medical Campus visit
http://www.uchsc.edu/anschutzmedicalcampus/maps
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