SomaticNerveBlock near Vienna, VA

Biography: Marina G. Protopapas, D.O. is practicing out of National Spine & Pain Centers' Fair Oaks, VA center. She is diligent and thoughtful in the practice of her profession. With an unwavering focus on quality of care, she takes an individualized and comprehensive approach with each patient.

Biography: Dr. Matthew Piazza, MD, is a board-eligible neurological surgeon specializing in the surgical treatment of neurologic conditions affecting the spine and brain. He treats the breadth of conditions of the spine including cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine degenerative disease, ankylosing spinal conditions, adult degenerative spinal deformity, spine trauma, and spinal tumors using the latest advances in surgical technology utilizing both minimally invasive and traditional open approaches. Dr. Piazza also manages a variety of intracranial conditions including cranial trauma, primary brain tumors, metastatic brain tumors, meningiomas, and hydrocephalus. Dr. Piazza's primary goal is to provide patients with the maximum benefit with the smallest intervention using the most up-to-date surgical techniques and evidenced based management. He believes that the patient-surgeon relationship is a partnership, and he strives to work with his patients to achieve the best outcome from both surgical and non-surgical treatments. After graduating from Princeton University magna cum laude, Dr. Piazza received his medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons where he was awarded a Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship. He completed his neurosurgical training at the University of Pennsylvania. While at the University of Pennsylvania, he served as an internal fellow in spine surgery during which time he received specialized training in the surgical management of complex spinal disorders including degenerative spinal disease, adult degenerative spinal deformity, spinal oncology, and spine trauma. His post-doctoral research focused on quality improvement in peri-operative neurosurgical care and the development of animal models for studying spinal disc regenerative therapies, and he has co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed research publications, book chapters, and reviews.

Biography: Dr. William Kemp is a board-eligible and fellowship-trained neurosurgeon skilled in treating spinal conditions ranging from a herniated disc to complex scoliosis. With 16 years of education and training, Dr. Kemp completed his neurosurgery residency at Cleveland Clinic and spine fellowship at the University of Wisconsin where he gained invaluable experience at two world-class academic medical centers. As a minimally invasive and complex spine neurosurgeon, Dr. Kemp takes pride in utilizing his extensive knowledge of the nervous system to find answers for his patients and provide operative and non-operative solutions to help them reach their goals. His genuine passion for helping others drives a commitment to the highest standard of care and helps patients get back to enjoying life. Dr. Kemp is a great listener and cares for every patient like a member of his own family. During an initial consultation, Dr. Kemp first takes the time to establish a relationship with his patients, learns about their symptoms and prior treatment history, and comes up with goals for recovery. He encourages his patients to ask questions and participate in the shared decision-making of their care. Knowing that 90% of his patients can be helped without surgery, he first recommends conservative solutions such as spine-specialized physical therapy, regenerative medicine, or injections. When surgical intervention is necessary, he provides patients with minimally-invasive options customized to each patient's needs. By employing the mastery of the interdisciplinary team of spine experts at Virginia Spine Institute, Dr. Kemp creates a comprehensive treatment plan customized to each patient. Such care ensures the whole person is treated and optimizes their chance of meaningful recovery. As one of his mentors once told Dr. Kemp: A good doctor treats the problem. A great doctor treats the patient. Whatever the patient's challenge, Dr. Kemp is committed to returning the patient back to life without pain and finds joy in becoming a small part of that journey. In his free time, he's likely at the gym, running, or planning his next travel adventure. If it's football season, he'll be cheering on his alma mater Notre Dame. Go Irish!