Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital Weight-Loss Program

If you are ready to get your weight under control, WashU Medicine physicians are here to help. Our experts can help you determine which weight-loss tool will meet your individual needs and preferences.

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Nonsurgical endoscopic weight-loss options

Our minimally invasive treatment programs provide regular group sessions, a nonsurgical endoscopic procedure, medical monitoring, individualized meal planning with a registered dietitian, counseling from a behavior coach, and instruction in movement and exercise.

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Intragastric balloon

This temporary inflatable device slows down digestion, creating a feeling of fullness and reducing the amount of food that can be consumed.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty

This minimally invasive procedure involves using a thin, flexible tube and sutures to reduce stomach size without surgery.

Endoscopic gastric outlet repair

A minimally invasive procedure for people who have previously had a gastric bypass to minimize the size of an enlarged stomach pouch that can sometimes happen after surgery.

Surgical weight-loss options

Weight management is complex because each person’s genetics, diet, and lifestyle are different. To qualify for surgical weight loss, patients must have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40, or a BMI of 35–39 with an obesity-related condition like diabetes or high blood pressure. There also needs to have been previous unsuccessful attempts of a structured weight-loss program and no diagnoses of Crohn’s disease or cirrhosis of the liver.

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Laparoscopic gastric bypass

This is the most widely performed minimally invasive weight-loss surgery. Surgeons create a smaller stomach so that food bypasses the larger original stomach and small intestine.

Gastric sleeve

A large portion of the stomach is removed but the remaining portion of the stomach is connected to the small intestine. Patients with severe obesity find they can adapt easier to this surgery because it doesn’t reroute the digestive tract.

Duodenal switch

This surgery is more extensive than other types of bariatric surgery but has the greatest potential for weight loss. First a gastric sleeve is performed, and then the intestine is divided into two parts and reattached to the upper and middle parts of the new stomach, reducing the number of calories absorbed.

Two women laughing and dancing in a group fitness class.

Not sure where to start?

Register for a virtual information session, or complete the weight-loss health risk assessment to find out which treatment may be right for you.

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Take the weight-loss health risk assessment

Meet the physicians

The WashU Medicine weight-loss team partners directly with our patients before, during, and after their interventions to improve outcomes and long-term success.