If You Are Ready to Get Your Weight Under Control,
We Are Here to Help.

John Chris Eagon, MD

Dr. Chris Eagon’s clinical interests are dedicated to surgical treatment of severely obese patients and comprehensive care associated with digestive conditions.

Dr. Eagon, a surgeon who performs minimally invasive surgery to treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, specializes in conditions associated with obesity, abdominal hernias, Barret’s esophagus, biliary tract disorders, esophageal disease, gallstones, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), pancreatitis, ulcers and unexplained abdominal pain.

Washington University Physicians and BJC HealthCare accept most health insurance plans, including those listed below. If you have questions, please contact your insurance company.

Dr. Eagon has been the director of bariatric surgery at Washington University since 1997 and is the recipient of the Washington University Surgery Chief Residents Mentorship Award 2018 and was the Missouri State Chapter President of American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery from 2011-2013.

“Washington University physicians are highly trained and experienced experts in the fields they treat. They also have the support and backing of advanced resources to deliver the most up to date care available in the country. The most important quality I provide to my patients is empathy. I treat others the way I would want to be treated. I bring a lot of skill and experience to the table, so I often feel I can give patients a definitive answer about whether surgical therapy for benign GI problems would be beneficial or not. I suggest to patients to gather all the information you can from your local or referring caregivers, ask them questions, and gather their opinions. That information can help you make decisions about your own care and if you ultimately seek treatment from me, that background information is often critical to help us all make the best recommendation for you.

Outside of caring for patients, Dr. Eagon enjoys spending time with his wife, adult children and two grandchildren. He also enjoys traveling, watching the St. Louis Blues and the St. Louis Cardinals play, alpine skiing and masters ski racing, working on older model cars and fixing things around the house.

Michael C. Bennett, MD

Dr. Michael Bennett’s clinical interests are dedicated to endoscopic weight loss procedures for overweight to obese patients and comprehensive care associated with digestive conditions.

Dr. Bennett specializes in gastrointestinal conditions associated with Barrett’s esophagus (may develop into esophageal cancer), colon cancer, colon polyps, diverticulitis, esophageal disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcers and unexplained abdominal pain. Washington University Physicians and BJC HealthCare accept most health insurance plans for digestive diseases, including those listed below. If you have questions, please contact your insurance company.

If you have attempted weight loss through diet and exercise without success and/or don’t want or qualify for bariatric surgery, Dr. Bennett partners with his patients to provide nonsurgical solutions including aspiration therapy and intragastric balloon therapy. In addition to the endoscopic procedures, Dr. Bennett also prescribes medications to assist with weight loss. Most insurance providers do not cover the cost of these weight loss options, but Washington University Physicians and BJC HealthCare offer package pricing to help you understand costs upfront.

Dr. Bennett is the recipient of the Highest Patient Satisfaction Award from the Washington University Department of Medicine and the Young Investigator Award from the American Gastroenterological Association.

“Washington University Physicians offers the highest level of subspecialty expertise. When patients see a Washington University physician, they know they are getting the most up-to-date, evidence-based, and comprehensive care available. I practice medicine with the whole patient in mind, not just their disease and the medical treatment of it, but also the impact of that disease on the patient and their loved ones. I hope that anyone suffering from a gastro-intestinal (GI) illness feels comfortable reaching out to us for a consultation. We may not be able to cure all GI illnesses, but there are many things we can do to find answers, make symptoms better and offer reassurance.”

Outside of caring for patients, Dr. Bennett enjoys spending time with his wife, young son and their dog and they can often be found in a neighborhood park, playground or exploring Forest Park. He also enjoys hiking, traveling, Cardinals baseball and listening to and playing music.

Dayna S. Early, MD

Dr. Dayna Early’s clinical interests are dedicated to endoscopic weight loss procedures for overweight to obese patients, colorectal cancer screening, treatment of Barrett esophagus and early-stage esophageal cancer.

Dr. Early specializes in gastrointestinal conditions associated with Barrett esophagus (may develop into esophageal cancer), colon cancer, colon polyps, esophageal disease and patients at increased risk for pancreatic cancer.

If you have attempted weight loss through diet and exercise without success and/or don’t want or qualify for bariatric surgery, Dr. Early partners with her patients to provide nonsurgical solutions including aspiration therapy and intragastric balloon therapy. Most insurance providers do not cover the cost of these weight loss options, but Washington University Physicians and BJC HealthCare offer package pricing to help you understand costs upfront.

Dr. Early is the vice chair of the Board of Governors of the American College of Gastroenterology and director of endoscopy at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

“Washington University has a robust physician network that allows collaborative care in many disciplines. I gather as much information as possible about each patient's gastrointestinal condition and use national guidelines whenever applicable to guide my recommendation to patients.”

Outside of caring for patients, Dr. Early loves being outside, walking and running with her dog, Molly, and enjoys cooking.

Vladimir M. Kushnir, MD

Dr. Vladimir Kushnir’s clinical interests are dedicated to interventional endoscopy and endoscopic weight loss procedures for overweight to obese patients.

Dr. Kushnir specializes in gastrointestinal conditions associated with Barrett’s esophagus (may develop into esophageal cancer), biliary tract disorders, removal of complex colon polyps, esophageal disease, gallstones, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), pancreatitis and ulcers. Washington University Physicians and BJC HealthCare accept most health insurance plans for digestive diseases, including those listed below. If you have questions, please contact your insurance company.

If you have attempted weight loss through diet and exercise without success and/or don’t want or qualify for bariatric surgery, Dr. Kushnir partners with his patients to provide nonsurgical solutions including aspiration therapy, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, endoscopic gastric outlet repair and gastric balloon therapy. Most insurance providers do not cover the cost of these weight loss options, but Washington University Physicians and BJC HealthCare offer package pricing to help you understand costs upfront.

Dr. Kushnir is consistently recognized on The Best Doctors in America list, a patient resource developed by Best Doctors Inc. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the American College of Gastroenterology Colorectal Cancer Prevention Award, and is a Fellow of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Fellowship Award and the American Gastroenterological Association. Dr. Kushnir is the director of bariatric endoscopy at Washington University School of Medicine.

“I find every patient interesting and important. I like that I offer minimally invasive therapy and in a lot of cases, help patients avoid surgery or invasive diagnostic testing. I'm also passionate about treating patients with obesity, in the Washington University School of Medicine non-surgical weight loss program, where we offer minimally invasive endoscopic weight loss procedures to help patients achieve their weight loss goals.”

Outside of caring for patients, Dr. Kushnir enjoys spending time outdoors, running, hiking and skiing with his family.

Shaina R. Eckhouse, MD

Dr. Eckhouse is a surgeon who uses advanced laparoscopic techniques in the treatment of morbid obesity and related disorders.

Francesca Dimou, MD

Dr. Francesca Dimou’s clinical interests are dedicated to bariatric weight loss procedures for overweight to obese patients and comprehensive care associated with digestive conditions.

Dr. Dimou is a surgeon who performs robotic surgery and minimally invasive surgery to treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, specializes in conditions associated with obesity, abdominal hernias, biliary tract disorders, esophageal disease, gallstones, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcers and unexplained abdominal pain.

Washington University Physicians and BJC HealthCare accept most health insurance plans, including those listed below. If you have questions, please contact your insurance company.

Most insurance providers do not cover the cost of these weight loss options, but Washington University Physicians and BJC HealthCare offer package pricing to help you understand costs upfront.

Dr. Dimou is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, an Honor Medical Society signifying a lasting commitment to professionalism, leadership, scholarship, research, and community service.

“Washington University Physicians are able to care for patients with a complex medical and surgical history. Patient care should be tailored to their expectations, medical and surgical history. Bariatric surgery is not simply a cookie-cutter approach where one surgery should be done for all patients, but I try to find the best option to help patients meet their health and lifestyle goals. Specific to bariatric surgery, it is a team approach not only with physicians and nurses, but with the patient themselves. Bariatric surgery is simply a tool to help one be successful in making lifestyle changes to have long term success.”

Outside of caring for patients, Dr. Dimou enjoys exercise and fitness including biking and kickboxing. Anytime the weather is nice, she enjoys spending time in Forest Park with her beloved dog, a Welsh Corgi, named Giuseppe.