Thomas Subaric, 63, of Palatine, struggled with his weight for years despite trying everything.
“I tried all the gimmicky diets,” he said. “I tried no carbs, starvation diets, intermittent fasting — nothing worked for me. I was in the gym, eating the right foods, but the weight would not come off.”
Then he started experiencing health issues — high blood pressure, increased heart rate, swelling, water retention and sleep apnea.
“I have a 6-year-old daughter, which really puts a lot of things in perspective for me,” said Subaric. “I started looking around to see what I was missing.”
One day, he and his wife discussed the option for bariatric surgery. He was skeptical until he came across a video on TikTok about endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), a noninvasive bariatric procedure.
“It was very appealing to me because the recovery time was only a couple of days,” said Subaric. He talked to his doctor, who referred him to a local general surgeon; however, that surgeon did not perform ESG.
The general surgeon referred Subaric to Michael Ujiki, MD, a gastrointestinal surgeon with Endeavor Health Medical Group, one of the few doctors in Chicago who performs this procedure along with Endeavor Health surgeons H. Mason Hedberg, MD, Natalie Liu, MD, and Michael McCormack, MD.
“There are no incisions — it’s all done through the mouth with an endoscope,” explained Dr. Ujiki. “From within the stomach, we suture it down about 80%.”
Compared to a surgical laparoscopic sleeve, which requires a 2-week recovery, ESG patients go home the same day as the procedure and can go back to work two days later without any activity restrictions. And because there are no incisions, less than 1% of patients experience complications.
“It’s less recovery, no hospital stay, no activity restrictions, and about as much weight loss as other bariatric surgeries,” said Dr. Ujiki. “It’s not just a revolutionary, but a highly desirable procedure.”
While it’s up to the patient and doctor to decide what’s best, patients with a body mass index (BMI) over 30 can potentially qualify for the procedure, except for Asian individuals. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) recommends that Asian patients consider weight loss surgery starting at a BMI of 27.5.
While you may not have heard of ESG before, it’s not a new procedure. Dr. Ujiki has been performing ESG since 2016. Endeavor Health was part of a two-year national clinical trial (Merit trial), which proved that ESG was a safe, effective procedure. Once the study was published in 2023, ESG became more well known and insurance companies began covering the procedure.
“Setting up an appointment with Dr. Ujiki was one of the best decisions I ever made,” said Subaric. “He walked me through the whole procedure and by the time I went home, I felt like this is something I really want to do.”
Subaric worked with Dr. Ujiki’s team to prepare physically and mentally for the procedure, including working with nutritionists and a therapist. On Feb. 10, 2025, he had the surgery.
“I didn't have any anxiety about the procedure,” he said. “I knew what to expect and felt at ease because of all the work I had done prior with Dr. Ujiki’s team.”
The procedure went well, and just a couple of days later, Subaric was back at work. Besides a couple of brief instances of nausea, he didn’t experience any side effects from the surgery. Subaric continued to work with a nutritionist to stay on track and maximize weight loss.
“It felt like a collaborative journey,” he said. “The whole team has been there for me, and they've been absolute angels.”
Nine months post-procedure, Subaric is already down to his goal weight. He hopes to lose another 10 pounds by the one-year mark.
“The procedure is mental as much as it is physical, so I made a choice that I was going to follow the plan to a tee and not deviate from it,” he said. “I haven't, and it was not difficult.”
Subaric is no longer on any of the medications he was taking before the surgery, except for medication for rheumatoid arthritis.
“I feel amazing, I feel great,” he said. “It was painless, easy, and in some ways, it’s a fun journey. I’ve had to get rid of all my clothes three times so far.”
Subaric encourages anyone considering ESG for themselves to follow the doctor’s plan for the best success.
“It's a safe, efficacious and incision-less procedure,” said Dr. Ujiki. “What more can you ask for?”
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