Jason Bill, MD, an interventional gastroenterologist with OSF HealthCare, offers an endoscopic bariatric procedure called endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty that helps patients jump-start long-term weight loss without surgery.

This procedure is part of the OSF bariatric program, in collaboration with OSF Mission Partners at the RiverPlex Weight Management Clinic in downtown Peoria, providing patients with both medical treatment and long-term lifestyle support.

A middle-ground weight loss option

Endoscopic bariatric procedures are non-surgical and minimally invasive, making them an attractive option for patients who want more than medication but are not ready for, or do not qualify for, traditional bariatric surgery.

Dr. Bill describes the procedure as a long-term weight loss option, designed to help patients build sustainable habits rather than relying on short-term fixes.

How the procedure works

While the procedure is non-surgical, it is still performed under general anesthesia. Patients are treated in an outpatient setting and typically go home one to two hours after their procedure.

“It’s similar to any diagnostic camera test that GI doctors do every day,” Dr. Bill says. “We take a flexible tube, go down the mouth and into the stomach. Using a suturing device, we place six to eight sutures and tighten them to shrink the stomach by about 70%.”

By reducing the stomach’s size, patients feel full sooner, a concept known as early satiety, which helps reduce portion sizes and calorie intake.

Who is a good candidate?

Patients with a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 50 are generally strong candidates for this procedure. BMI can be calculated when you divide your weight by the square of your height.

“The patients who tend to be most successful are still fairly active and fall in the BMI range of 30 to 40,” Dr. Bill adds. “They’re motivated, they’ve tried diet and exercise, but they just can’t get over that hump. This can be a great starting point.”

What recovery looks like

Recovery is typically smooth and straightforward. Mild abdominal discomfort and nausea are common for the first 72 hours, but symptoms after that are rare.

For the first six weeks, patients follow a restrictive diet, gradually transitioning to a calorie-controlled plan designed to support steady weight loss. This will look different for each individual patient, but talking it over with your OSF care team is a great start.

More Than Just Weight Loss

While patients can expect to lose approximately 15-20% of their total body weight, Dr. Bill emphasizes that the benefits go far beyond the number on the scale.

“We see improvement or reversal of diabetes, a decrease in sleep apnea and significant benefits for liver health,” he says. “For patients with fatty liver disease, we often see reversal as weight comes off.”

“In many cases, these outcomes are even more important than the weight loss itself.”

An option for those who struggle with weight loss medications

This procedure may also be a good alternative for patients who don’t tolerate weight loss medications, such as GLP-1s, very well.

“Weight loss medications have been incredibly helpful for some people,” Dr. Bill says. “But there are still big questions: What’s the endpoint? Do you take them forever? Is weight regained once you stop? We don’t yet have long-term data comparing all these methods.”

Support before and after the procedure

Weight loss doesn’t stop when the procedure is over. Before moving forward, patients meet with the Riverplex team. This includes educational classes, nutrition counseling and follow-up visits after the procedure.

Patients work closely with dietitians and nutritionists to understand what foods to prioritize, how many calories to consume and how to build habits that lead to lasting success.

A focus on long-term health

With obesity continuing to be a major health concern nationwide, Dr. Bill believes it must be treated seriously and proactively. Focusing on a well-balanced diet while living an active lifestyle are key.

For patients looking to make meaningful change this New Year, endoscopic bariatric procedures offer a powerful, supportive path forward; one that combines medical innovation with long-term guidance every step of the way.

Video Interview Clips

B-ROLL

November, December and January bring bountiful holiday meals.

While it’s tempting to chow down, experts are cautioning about how overindulgence can make you feel mentally and physically crummy in the moment, plus open the door to long-term unhealthy eating habits.

Have the right mindset

Andrew Zasada, MD, provides emergency department care at OSF HealthCare. He says avoiding stuffing yourself starts before you sit down for the meal.

“If you come to the meal hungry, you tend to try to make up for not having breakfast. You load your plate up, which is going to cause you to overeat,” Dr. Zasada says. “Instead, have a light snack an hour or two before you sit down to the meal.

“Put the food in one room and sit down in another room to eat. That necessitates you going there rather than having food available for another fill.”

The meal itself

Enjoy holiday meals, Dr. Zasada says. It’s not a race.

Grab a smaller plate, and take smaller portions of each item. Pretend you’re filling the plate up for a child. You wouldn’t take five rolls and two big slabs of meat for a youngster, so don’t do it for your adult self.

Other tips: Chew slowly. Between bites, put your utensil down, take a drink of water and talk to someone. This allows your stomach to fill up and tell your brain that you’re full.

When you finish eating, leave the table, and go to another room. Staying next to the food increases the temptation to keep nibbling.

If you can’t help it

Dr. Zasada says despite our best efforts, sometimes you overeat during holiday meals. Maybe you don’t want to offend your aunt by not having a slice of her famous pie.

If that happens, Dr. Zasada says there are two pitfalls to avoid: Drinking alcohol and lying down right after the meal.

“That opens up the sphincters of your stomach, slows down digestion and increases the chance for heartburn,” Dr. Zasada says.

Try tea or coffee after a meal instead of alcohol. But if you must indulge in a spirit, Dr. Zasada says to wait at least 90 minutes so your stomach can partially empty.

Instead of lying down for that post-meal nap, sit upright, talk to people or play a game. If the weather is nice, go for a walk.

A word on more serious eating issues

Holiday meals may be difficult for people who suffer from eating disorders, such as binge eating (eating a lot in one sitting and feeling you can’t stop), anorexia nervosa (an unwarranted fear of being overweight which leads to things like starvation) or bulimia nervosa (taking unhealthy steps to avoid weight gain like purging your food).

Dr. Zasada says, in the moment, you should have someone you trust who can help you through the holiday meal and check in with you later. Long term, he says these are serious issues that should be talked about with a health care provider.

“Repeated bulimia will damage your teeth. It’s corrosive. You lose electrolytes when you vomit,” Dr. Zasada says. “You become sick. If you do this repeatedly, you will lose weight in an unhealthy way. You will possibly dehydrate. You will start losing muscle mass.

“It’s just not a good thing.”

Bottom line: Don’t get discouraged

Dr. Zasada says one day of extra eating may make you feel bad, but it isn’t going to derail your overall health.

“One day won’t make you fat,” he says.

Get back into your healthy eating habits the next day while enjoying those leftovers in moderation. If you feel you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight or body image, talk to your primary care provider. They may refer you to a specialist like a dietitian or mental health provider. From there, plans could include a diet and exercise regimen, medication or, in rare cases, weight loss surgery.

Interview clips

Cancer care doesn’t make anyone’s list of “things I want to do.”

But for patients at the OSF Bobette Steely Hegeler Cancer Care Center in Danville, Illinois, visits will soon be more comfortable and streamlined thanks to $750,000 worth of interior renovations.

Phase two of the cancer center expansion project started in December and will continue for around five months. Patient care will continue while work is underway.

“Everybody’s excited,” said Judi Miles, patient care manager of medical oncology and radiation oncology at the center.

“We’ve been planning this for quite some time. It brings some hope to everything here. It shows we’re here to stay, and we’re going to take care of our patients,” Miles added.

Phase two expansion upgrades include:

• Increasing the number of exam rooms from two to five. One room will be larger to accommodate bariatric patients and people who have trouble getting around. Each room will have new furniture and equipment, sliding doors and touch screen wall monitors.

“The monitors will be an interactive tool that we can use to show patients 3D anatomy. We can resource information from the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute,” said Miles. “It’s as simple as putting in their email, then we can send information to them. A lot of companies don’t print booklets anymore.”

“The digital board makes the process more comprehensive. It makes it more easily understandable to patients,” said JoMel Labayog, MD, oncologist and medical director at the cancer center. “You can just tell patients. But it’s different when you see where your cancer is, how it’s responding to treatment and what the plan is. Visual stimulation is always the best.”

• The patient discharge room will also be renovated and moved from the back of the building to the front to allow for better flow and more privacy.
• Cancer center Mission Partners (employees) will have new and improved workstations.
• Three private bays for infusion therapy will be walled off by doors instead of curtains for increased privacy.

“Some people like to be around others and share stories during treatment,” said Dr. Labayog. “But we have the private bays for people who are more confined and want their loved ones to be with them.”

The cancer center is also aggressively recruiting another physician to get the most out of these phase two improvements, which are funded by community donations.

Phase one of the cancer center expansion saw installation of a state-of-the-art linear accelerator for radiation treatment in March 2022. Phase three is planned for three to four years down the road. OSF HealthCare leaders hope to expand the cancer center’s physical footprint to offer new services and amenities, such as visiting oncologists, an education room, pastoral care and physical therapy. People interested in contributing to the phase three improvements should contact the OSF HealthCare Foundation.

“When people come here, they know we’re comprehensive. We’re compassionate. We’re professional. We have the facilities that can accommodate care for most diseases,” said Dr. Labayog. “So, not only do the patients feel comfortable, but the family feels confident that their loved ones are taken care of.”

The OSF Bobette Steely Hegeler Cancer Care Center is on the campus of OSF HealthCare Sacred Heart Medical Center in Danville. It sees 40 to 50 patients daily, providing critical care close to home. The cancer center is named for Bobette Steely Hegeler, the wife of Danville philanthropist Julius W. Hegeler II. Bobette Hegeler battled cancer before passing away in 1976. Julius Hegeler died in 2019, and his foundation continue to support local causes, including OSF HealthCare.

Interview clips - Judi Miles

Interview clips - Dr. JoMel Labayog

B-roll - OSF Hegeler Cancer Center and OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center