With new docs, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center performs first craniotomy

Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center is pleased to announce the addition of Neurosurgery to the host of services it already provides to the community.

Two neurosurgeons, Dr. Buelent Yapicilar and Dr. Joseph Watson, have joined the Sentara team. With their arrival, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center was able to perform its first craniotomy.

“The expansion of services allows Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center to better aid our community,” explains Dr. Michael Reitz, Vice President of Medical Affairs, “Previously, patients needing these services would have had to be transferred to another hospital. By adding Neurosurgery, those patients will now be able to receive care close to home at their community hospital.”

Dr. Reitz says the addition of this specialty will allow Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center to perform neurospinal surgery, debulking and soon, brain tumor removal, in addition to inserting ventricultoperitoneal (VP) shunts.

Many of these procedures are performed on brain bleeds or may be necessary during the aftermath of a stroke when time is of the essence. The addition of Neurosurgery to Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center gives care team one more resource in caring for those potential stroke patients in an expedited manner, when “time is brain,” when every second counts.

This is just one more way Sentara is working to improve health every day and become the healthcare provider of choice for the communities we serve.

To learn more about Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center’s Neurosurgery program or find a doctor, call 1-800-SENTARA or visit Sentara.com.