After years of chronic pain stripped away his active lifestyle, 36-year-old Tyler Stratman of Clinton, Illinois, says he has finally reclaimed his life thanks to a specialized spine procedure now available in Central Illinois.

Stratman, who once ran several miles a day while living in Chicago, says his life changed dramatically when persistent back pain began about two and a half years ago. What started as discomfort escalated into debilitating immobility.

Active lifestyle disrupted by chronic back pain

The pain prompted Stratman to completely stop his habit of running four to five miles a day.

“Even walking down the street to get Starbucks, my whole entire body would just kind of charley horse. I would have to stop in between blocks and kind of do hamstring stretches and things like that. And you know I was only 33 years old. And so, it was a huge, huge part of my life taken away.”

An MRI eventually revealed a severe herniated disc in his lower spine. At its peak, Stratman describes unbearable pain and sleepless nights.

 “I don’t think I slept for probably four to five days,” Stratman explains. “I would have to go out in the middle of the night. We have a treadmill and I would have to go out at like three or four in the morning to walk just to relieve something – just so I wouldn’t feel pain.” 

Minimally invasive spine surgery offers new option in Central Illinois

After exhausting non-surgical options including physical therapy, steroid injections and chiropractic care, Stratman was referred to neurosurgeon Sohail Syed, MD, who specializes in minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery.

Spine surgeons at OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute (OSF INI) Spine Institute perform approximately 1,000 spine surgeries each year, more than any other hospital system in the area and is the second largest program in Illinois. OSF HealthCare began using new minimally invasive spine surgery technology in June 2024, expanding treatment options for patients with certain spinal conditions. Since then, fellowship-trained spine surgeon Dr. Syed has performed 50 non-invasive spine surgeries using this advanced approach.

The endoscopic approach uses a small camera and specialized instruments inserted through a narrow pathway, avoiding the need for large incisions or significant tissue disruption.

Dr. Syed notes that in traditional spine surgery, surgeons often must remove bone and move a nerve aside to reach the problem area – steps the endoscopic technique can often minimize or avoid.

Endoscopic spine surgery reduces damage and recovery time

“Rather than going through all that, you can sneak underneath the nerve. And the endoscopic camera has an angle on it so it lets you look around the corner and work in the natural hole that exists in the spine without removing any bone or tissue and go right to the disc, remove the disc that’s pushing on the nerve or the bone spur and be in and out just using a one to two centimeter incision.” 

Dr. Syed emphasizes that surgery is typically a last resort after conservative treatments fail but says Stratman was an ideal candidate due to both his condition and mindset.

“He was a great candidate for endoscopic spine surgery because of the type of disc herniation he had, the location, his age and his attitude,” Dr. Syed emphasizes, “He was really willing to do the work required after to get the best benefit from the surgery.” 

For the surgery he underwent at OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, Illinois, Stratman ultimately chose the less invasive option that allowed surgeons to access his spine through a natural pathway while he remained partially awake. Though initially daunting, he says the decision became clear after years of suffering.

It offered him hope and following a two-and-a-half-hour procedure, the results were almost immediate.

Finding immediate relief

“It was an instant relief. The kind of like nugget charley horse I just felt like I had in my back for those years – it was just gone. I didn’t feel it anymore,” he explains. 

Stratman was also relieved he didn’t have to travel to St. Louis or Chicago for the innovative surgical approach. He was back home the same day – seven hours after his surgery.

Dr. Syed notes that while some people experience immediate improvement, recovery timelines can vary depending on the severity and duration of nerve compression.

Surgery removes whatever’s causing an injury, but Dr. Syed reminds people the procedure doesn’t repair injury.

The body has to heal on its own, and that can take time. For some older patients, Dr. Syed cautions it could mean a few months before they feel significantly better.

“While the nerve is being hurt, so is the muscle, so is the skin and for all of that to recover, it can take time – especially for older patients. So, if you wake up feeling great, that’s awesome. But if you don’t, give it at least three months.” 

Now several months post-surgery, Stratman says he feels stronger and more mobile than ever.

“I’m better than I’ve ever been. I feel stronger than I ever have. My mobility is better than it ever has been. I feel more flexible and [I’m] sleeping fantastic.” 

Stratman is not ready to start running again. Instead, he has adapted his routine with other forms of exercise, such as strength training and fast walking. He remains focused on long-term health.

For others facing similar decisions, both Stratman and Dr. Syed stress the importance of persistence, trust and informed care.

And for Dr. Syed, the ultimate goal is simple: meaningful improvement in patients’ lives.  You can learn more here about non-invasive spine surgery available through OSF HealthCare.

Tyle Stratman who underwent non-invasive spine surgery

Dr. Sohail Syed, neurosurgeon specializing in spine surgery

B-roll-Non-invasive spine surgery-follow-up exam

A new hands-on tool is helping young patients feel more prepared – and less afraid – before undergoing an MRI.

MRIs can be especially intimidating for children, who must lie still in a tight space surrounded by loud, unfamiliar sounds. Until now, child life specialists, like Allison West, at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria relied on educational materials to prepare patients. But West says many young children are hands-on learners.

“They need to be able to see, touch and manipulate. We had prep books and pictures and sounds that we would play for them, but we were missing something concrete,” says Child Life Specialist Allison West. “So, this was a huge need that Savannah was able to deliver for us.”

West is referencing former Tremont, Illinois, high school student Savannah Jost of Mapleton, whose interest in health care grew after her own serious cancer diagnosis.

Inspired by a cancer journey

In January of 2022, Jost was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. She went through eight rounds of chemo and 17 radiation treatments before doctors at OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois declared her cancer free in December of 2022.

Jost then joined OSF HealthCare through a high school co-op program, where she helped design a simulated MRI with engineers from Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center. The idea was to help children role-play the experience using stuffed animals or dolls.

Sister M. Pieta Keller, F.S.G.M., an engineer with OSF Innovation Studio, part of the OSF Innovation ecosystem, explains there is a toy MRI available on the market, but it was prohibitively expensive. Instead, she and other engineers speculated that they could create something to simulate the medical imaging experience for kids, using their favorite toy as child life suggested.

“That could kind of show the child what happens and could we do it with a stuffed animal or doll or something that’s theirs – their object that’s special to them that could go through this, and they could see that everything was just fine and what would happen in that experience.”

Creating the MRI model for kids meant balancing realism with durability for young users Sister M. Pieta explains while discussing the creative process.

Design challenges

“As Savannah came to me with plans and ideas of what she wanted to do, we kind of went back through it. We let her do a first prototype of what she was thinking but then I was like we actually need to rebuild it and rebuild the inside so that it can withstand a small child climbing on top of it because,” Sister Pieta points out, “It is big enough to be a little gymnasium as well, so we wanted it to have that strength and robustness.”

West says children often have to have multiple imaging tests throughout their treatment and most of them have to be sedated. But the goal is to avoid having to put young children under anesthesia repeatedly.

“We think with additional education and preparation, that they (kids) would be able to do it successfully without that sedation,” West shares. “So, then we start prepping them. That’s where this beautiful machine comes in because we can use this to make them comfortable, to reduce that fear and really to prepare them for what to expect and kind of set them up for more success.”

The design and build process introduced Jost to the process of innovation. The biggest lesson she learned from engineers at Jump – you will most likely fail before you’re successful.

Lifelong lessons from engineers at Jump Simulation

“When I came in, they just answered all of my questions. They would help me, but they also let me try and fail and they would be like, ‘How would you do this?’ and I would go and do it and most likely fail and then they let me ask them and pick their brains about it. I just loved working with them.”

One of the biggest goals was to make the mini-MRI simulator as realistic as possible. From her own experience, Jost wanted to make sure there was no sugarcoating the experience. Combined with audio from a real MRI that can be played from a tablet, Jost thinks the team hit the mark.

The project represents more than just a design success. Jost stresses that it’s a way for her to pay it forward.

“It’s knowing that I get to give back to the community that helped me, that saved my life when I was 14 years old … just knowing that little kids here are using it and that I have the same cancer journey as some of them – It makes my 14-year-old self proud.” Jost is now a student at Bradley University, an OSF academic partner under its Innovation Academic Incubator. She eventually hopes to become a radiation oncologist.

Meanwhile, West says the simulated MRI has been used with a few patients and will be used with more in the future to help reduce fear, improve understanding and prepare children for real imaging exams – one stuffed animal at a time.

Savannah Jost

Sister Pieta 

Allison West

B-roll-Toy MRI

OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park now has CT (Computed Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) perfusion capabilities, which are advanced imaging techniques that look at a patient’s blood flow to the brain.

Rapid AI helps neurovascular and vascular medical teams reduce time to treatment and improve patient outcomes. The artificial intelligence processes the images and gives clinical information to the clinician immediately, so the provider can more quickly decide the best course of treatment for the patient.

Tracy Jendruczek, the vice president of surgical and procedural services with OSF Little Company of Mary, says the addition of CT and MRI perfusions at the hospital is beneficial for the community.

“It’s available 24/7 for any patient that comes in through the emergency department,” Jendruczek says.

Who is eligible for CT Perfusion?

“Patients that might be at risk for stroke or are showing signs or symptoms of having a stroke, would be eligible for a CT perfusion of the brain. This looks at the blood flow to different areas of the brain,” Jendruczek says.

Who is eligible for MRI Perfusion?

“Patients that are eligible may be showing signs or symptoms of a tumor or have had a previously diagnosed tumor of the brain,” Jendruczek adds. “MRI perfusion, like CT, allows us to look at blood flow of the brain, but it’s specific for tumors. It’s looking at the severity and type of tumor.”

What’s the ultimate goal?

The ultimate goal of CT and MRI Perfusions is to expedite treatment for stroke patients.

“The perfusion capabilities will allow us to see the different areas of blood flow so we can quickly determine if a patient is eligible for further treatment. If we’re able to provide that treatment here at OSF Little Company of Mary, we will immediately start treating the patient,” Jendruczek says. “If not, we can more quickly transfer the patient to a place they can receive appropriate treatment.”

Video Interview Clips

In the past decade, breakthrough treatments for cancer have emerged requiring a personalized approach.  The new OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute on the campus of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois, will offer access to a variety of treatments under one roof when it welcomes its first patients next month.

A lesser discussed treatment that will be available is brachytherapy or implant radiation. Unlike external beam radiation, this treatment is delivered from inside the tumor and can deliver more intense doses of radiation at the tumor site. Brachytherapy is most commonly used to treat cancers of the female pelvis, prostate, breast, eye and skin. 

James McGee, MD, radiation oncologist at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center has sub-specialized in brachytherapy. It is the most targeted radiation treatment type and preserves healthy tissue. 

“Placing a radiation source directly into the patient’s tumor allows for many advantages. In this way, the radiation is not going through normal tissues and has much less normal tissue effect.  At the same time, it creates the need to be very individualized and very creative.” 

The radiation is given with high dose delivery rates usually with a very small radiation source in a cable moving through an applicator or even a series of needles to the core of the malignancy. The devices are called temporary implants that are removed after the dose is delivered. Brachytherapy implants may be short-term (temporary) or long-lasting (permanent). The result is a higher cure rate for certain cancers than with external beam radiation alone says Dr. McGee.  

The OSF Cancer Institute will have a state-of-the-art brachytherapy surgical suite, fitted with a GE CT scanner on rails, specifically designed for the space. It will allow patients to stay under anesthesia during CT-guided applicator or implant insertion. A new MRI scanner is located directly outside the suite, creating efficient transfer for the patient, when MRI imaging will help, improving their overall experience. 

Better preparation through 3D models 

Dr. McGee sits in front of a 3D model made for a woman who had cervical cancer. It was developed using translucent silicone molding and graphite material to represent tumor growth. He explains that because of the need for precision application of the radioactive material, OSF HealthCare enlisted engineers at Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center to create patient-specific models for complex cancer cases. 

“We've actually been taking MRI scans from patients and in preparation for their treatment and we've created models that represent their normal anatomy and the anatomy of their cancer. Usually this is after initial treatment with chemotherapy radiation, probably for about five weeks.”

The use of brachytherapy reduces recovery time and side effects, and is often a shorter, more cost-effective treatment than traditional external beam radiation. There are many types of brachytherapy.  These can be categorized by the duration of the dose delivery - high dose rate, low dose rate, and permanent. They are also categorized by the technique used such as interstitial (in between cells of cancerous tissue), intracavity and surface application. 

 Dr. McGee looks forward to being able to enhance brachytherapy procedures by having the operating room, imaging, and treatment delivery system integrated in the same space at the OSF Cancer Institute. 

Video Clips with Dr. James McGee courtesy of WTVP-PBS

B-roll of Brachytherapy-Courtesy WTVP-PBS

In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, machine learning has emerged as a transformative force; it is reshaping countless industries, health care included. Machine learning and artificial intelligence increases productivity, reduces human errors and frees up time for other tasks that can have greater impact. In the case of converting medical scans into 3D or 4D images for a deeper view of organs, tissues and tumors, AI has the possibility of changing how surgeons prepare to operate on patients with complex issues.

Matthew Bramlet, MD, is a pediatric cardiologist at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria who specializes in congenital cardiac MRI for the Children’s Hospital of Illinois.  His Advanced Imaging and Modeling (AIM) lab at Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center is focused on translation of medical images into 3D and 4D interactive models (for 3D printing for virtual reality) to assist in pre-surgical planning of complex cardiac and cancer cases. 

According to Dr. Bramlet, the heart is a unique organ because it changes shape as it expands and contracts to pump blood through the body. This change in shape becomes a problem when the muscle of the heart grows abnormally and obstructs its own ability to pump blood out of the heart. This is a problem, because no current technology exists that allows a surgeon to view this 4D, dynamic obstruction. 

Rather than relying on years of trial and error of surgical expertise to determine the correct way to cut out muscle to relieve the obstruction, this project seeks to provide the surgeon with a VR view of their next patient’s beating heart in 4D.

The Innovation for Health (IFH) grant program with Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois is designed to inject funding ($50,000) to combine clinical problems with computer science expertise.  Assistant Professor Sam Hawkins, PhD, and graduate students at Bradley University plan to utilize machine learning to convert standard medical images into a sequence of 3D models, that when played sequentially create a 3D beating heart; the “4D heart”.  

This concept has been previously demonstrated by Dr. Bramlet’s AIM lab, but it took an entire summer to convert images of a 4D heart, showing both the expansion and contraction of the heart that could be viewed through a virtual reality headset. Dr. Bramlet says that’s not a sustainable approach.

“How do we put the CT data into a computer and slice by slice, say this is the myocardial tissue so we get an exact replica of the heart. But I don't need just one (3D replica of a heart); I need 20 to make each phase of that heart (he simulates the sound of repetitive beats) into a 4D heart.”

Assistant professor Hawkins believes machine learning can be leveraged to perform the labor-intensive process of converting images. Hawkins explains Computer Science graduate students at Bradley are part of the research effort.

“First, we need to figure out what part of the image is the heart and what part is not. And then we need to combine these tiny images into a 3D image. And then we need to do that many times to get the 4D.”

Improving pre-surgery planning

The solution should allow surgeons to virtually preview the beating heart of their patient, showing the obstruction in 4D, therefore providing a completely new pre-surgical analysis tool. The multidimensional view allows surgeons to zero in on structures of the heart, significantly enlarge elements and get a much better view of the anatomy. This machine learned 4D generation of a beating heart will be a first of its kind technology.

Researchers believe creating an automated solution can reduce the manual process of converting images from months, to hours, and eventually perhaps minutes. That option could eventually be applied to images for other types of complex medical cases in adults, children and the smallest infants.

Dr. Bramlet says new AI-supported software could provide a scaled solution for surgeons everywhere.

“The most immediate impact isn’t going to be the 4D heart. The impact at a grander scale will be the scalability of how any program will be able to create models for pre-surgical planning; 3D printed or for VR with this technology.”

Hawkins believes the technology will lead to other hospitals adopting the approach for pre-surgery planning.

“It has the potential to really remove the barrier of entry for institutions that don’t have the expertise or the time but do have images they wanted to view (more intricately).”

This entire machine learning project has been made possible by Jump Simulation’s long-term investment in sharing 3D insights. Since, 2014, Jump has contributed 3D models of congenital heart disease to Dr. Fauci’s 3D database at the NIH. This library of annotated 3D models provides the rich dataset of raw material needed for machine learned insights into automated segmentation of patient specific 3D models.  

Within a year, this project aims to automate, through machine learned algorithms, the conversion of cardiac CTs into virtual reality. The 4D view will enable surgeons to see the beating hearts specific to individual patients.

Imagine being a surgeon who can plan a surgery in VR by seeing the beating heart of your patient before you walk into the OR. This project seeks to transition this vision from science fiction to science fact.

Dr. Matthew Bramlet

Sam Hawkins, PhD

4D Hearts B-roll