Atlanta Brain and Spine - Atlanta

Dr. Steven D. Wray M.D. is a board certified neurosurgeon and the past President of Atlanta Brain and Spine Care where he has practiced since 2002. Dr. Wray understands the individual needs patients have when faced with a neurological disorder, and he aspires to educate his patients about their condition to ensure that they understand their treatment options. He strongly believes that patient trust is an integral part of the doctor-patient relationship.

Dr. Wray earned his M.D. degree at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA. While in Augusta, Dr. Wray served as president of his medical school class for 4 years and was inducted into Alpha Epsilon Delta National Medical Honor Society. At Wake Forest University-Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, he completed a general surgery internship, residency, and Chief Residency in Neurological Surgery. While a resident, Dr. Wray was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society, received the Resident Teaching Award, and was the Silver Medal recipient for Clinical Research.

Dr. Wray’s professional interests focus on spinal surgery with a keen interest in minimally invasive spinal surgery and instrumentation, degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, spondylolisthesis, minimally invasive fusion, artificial disc replacement, and microsurgery. His professional interests are reflected in his clinical research, publications in peer reviewed journals, and presentations at National meetings. Dr. Wray also serves as faculty at training courses on spine surgery techniques throughout the country. Dr. Wray has been recognized by the Consumer Research Society as one of “America’s Top Surgeons” and he is a member of several prestigious organizations including the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Southern Neurosurgical Society, Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, and the Georgia Neurosurgical Society (where he formerly served as President). Dr. Wray served as the Chairman of The Department of Neurosciences at Piedmont Hospital on the Surgical Care Evaluation Committee, and Medical Executive Committee of Piedmont Hospital. He is also on the Executive Board of Perimeter Surgery Center where outpatient surgery is performed.

Dr. Wray is a native of Atlanta and is a third generation physician practicing Neurology/ Neurosurgery at Piedmont Hospital. He is a devoted husband and loving father to his wife and three children. He is on the session serving as an Elder at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, is on the executive board of Safehouse Outreach Ministry, and serves on the alumni board at Pace Academy. Outside the operating room, Dr. Wray pursues his outside interests including being a multi-instrument musician, licensed pilot, and an avid outdoorsman involved in hiking, fishing, hunting, and water sports. His spare time is spent in the mountain lakes of North Georgia with his family.

Dr. Wray specializes in the treatment of the following diseases and conditions:

• Minimally invasive spinal surgery with instrumentation • Degenerative Disc Disease • Herniated Discs • Spondylolisthesis • Minimally invasive fusion • Artificial Disc Replacement

Mena G. Kerolus, M.D. is a neurosurgeon with dual fellowship training in both neurological and orthopedic spine surgery. Dr. Kerolus is excited to join Atlanta Brain and Spine Care and Piedmont Hospital in providing specialized care for adults and children with scoliosis and spinal deformities. Dr. Kerolus’ passion is to help all patients with spinal conditions return to enjoying life as safely as possible.

Dr. Kerolus completed his neurosurgical training at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago where he focused on the treatment of cranial pathologies such as trigeminal neuralgia, brain and spinal cord tumors and minimally invasive spine surgery. He then completed the prestigious Adult and Pediatric Comprehensive Orthopedic Spine Fellowship at Columbia University/New York-Presbyterian with a focus on spinal deformity surgery. Having been trained in both neurosurgery and orthopedic spine surgery, Dr. Kerolus is able to individualize surgical treatment options for his patients.

Dr. Kerolus’ clinical focus includes the surgical treatment of patients with lumbar stenosis and spondylolisthesis, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), cervical and thoracolumbar spinal deformities including adult idiopathic scoliosis, kyphosis, flat-back syndrome, chin-on-chest deformity, and patients who have a spinal deformity following prior spinal surgery. He also treats patients with cervical spine disease including cervical stenosis, disc herniation’s, ossified posterior longitudinal ligament and myelopathy. Dr. Kerolus has additional expertise in cervical motion preservation surgery including cervical disc arthroplasty.

Dr. Kerolus is committed to research and improving patient care. His research interests include minimally invasive spine techniques, robotic spine surgery and optimizing the postoperative recovery for spine patients in order to provide the best outcomes. He has published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles in national and international journals including the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine and Neurosurgery. He regularly presents at national conferences and has been authored in numerous textbooks. He is a member of many neurosurgical organizations including the American Association of Neurologic Surgeons, Congress of Neurologic Surgeons, and the Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves.

Dr. Kerolus’ personal interests include swimming, tennis, hiking and traveling. He enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter.

Dr. Kerolus is accepting new patients and welcomes most major insurance plans.

Gary R. Gropper M.D. is a board certified neurosurgeon who has practiced neurosurgery in Atlanta since 1986. He serves as an Attending Neurosurgeon at the Shepherd Center as well as Piedmont Hospital Atlanta. Dr. Gropper received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1974, with a major in molecular biology, and a minor in general biology. Following two years as a researcher with the Department of Neurology at Vanderbilt, he earned his MD at the University of Tennessee, College of Medicine in 1978. After a general surgery residency, he completed a neurosurgical residency at the University of Tennessee, Department of Neurosurgery in 1985.

Since moving to Atlanta in 1986, Dr. Gropper has been a recognized leader in the neurosurgical community. He served as the Chairman of the Department of Neuroscience at Piedmont Hospital from 2002 until 2005. He has also served as a neurosurgical consultant for the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta Braves, and is currently a Team Doctor and Medical Director for Woodward Academy. Dr. Gropper’s special areas of interest include:

• Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Surgery including the non-fusion option, Coflex Interlaminar Stabilization • Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus • Cervical Disc Disease and Spondylosis

Dr. Gropper is a member of a number of professional associations including, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Georgia Neurosurgical Society, and the North American Spine Society. He is a fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

In addition to his outstanding reputation as a neurosurgeon, Dr. Gropper is noted in the community for spreading joy and encouraging others to “pay it forward”, with his annual Christmas and Hanukkah yard display of inflatable characters. He is committed to our community and supports Our House Shelter for homeless families with newborns in Atlanta.

Dr. Gropper and his wife, Vickie, are proud parents of four children. Dr. Gropper is a surgeon associate of the Atlanta Spine Alliance.

Roger H. Frankel M.D., FAANS is a board certified neurosurgeon and the President of Atlanta Brain and Spine Care. Since 1999, Dr. Frankel has cared for neurosurgical patients from throughout the Southeast and beyond from his central practice in Atlanta. He is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of degenerative and injury-related spinal disorders. He has taken part in clinical research trials as well as published articles in peer reviewed journals. He sets a standard for advanced technical training to maintain cutting edge surgical skills. However, his academic and research accomplishments are only a part of what makes Dr. Frankel a renowned surgeon. His patients describe him as compassionate and no-nonsense. They depend on his consistent approach to developing the right action plan and achieving the best outcome based on their individual needs. As a result of this, they know that they will be led to the best treatment option for their specific situation. Dr. Frankel emphasizes patient education and a thorough explanation of all treatment options in a way that everybody can understand.

Dr. Frankel received his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA graduating cum laude in Biology. He attended medical school at New York University School of Medicine in New York City. He received an M.D. with Honors in Pathology after completing novel research on brain tumor genetics and defending a research thesis. His neurosurgical training was completed at Emory University here in Atlanta from 1992 to 1999. He has researched and published findings on brain tumors, pituitary disorders, and surgical treatment of AVMs.

Dr. Frankel has been a pioneer in clinical research on spinal implants at Piedmont Hospital and has been involved at the Shepherd Center in clinical research for treatments for spinal cord injury. He has studied the use of dynamic stabilization devices within the spine and has been involved in utilization of disc replacement technologies and minimally invasive spinal techniques. He is a big believer in using minimal incisions and minimizing muscular trauma to offer better surgical solutions for his patients. He also offers surgery in an ambulatory surgical setting for those patients who are medically appropriate. As a result, the techniques and surgical options that he offers eliminate the need for patients to travel to other cities for minimally invasive or laser surgery.

Dr. Frankel offers his expertise in the treatment of the following disorders with either minimally invasive or standard procedures as appropriate:

• Disc herniations-cervical, lumbar and thoracic spine • Spinal stenosis-cervical, lumbar and thoracic spine • Spondylolisthesis-cervical, lumbar and thoracic spine • Degenerative disc disease-cervical, lumbar and thoracic spine • Tumors of the spine including of spinal cord, spinal nerve and bony origin • Trauma of the cervical, lumbar and thoracic spine including reconstructive surgery for fractures

Dr. Frankel is highly respected by his peers in the medical community. This fact speaks for itself as he was elected President of the Georgia Neurosurgical Society from 2016-2017, and he currently serves as the Medical Director of the Piedmont Hospital Spine Center Quality Program. He has served as both Chairman of the Department of Neuroscience and President of the Section of Neurosurgery at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital. From 2011 through 2015 he served as Medical Director of Neurosurgical Services at the Shepherd Center, a U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital for the rehabilitation of patients suffering from catastrophic spinal cord and brain injuries.

In addition, Dr. Frankel has held multiple other hospital leadership positions and has received many honors. He has been listed in America’s Top Doctors and U.S. News & World Report Best Doctors since 2011. He has been named as an Atlanta Magazine Best Doctor every year since 2011.

Dr. Frankel is an active member of several distinguished societies and organizations including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society, Georgia Neurosurgical Society, the Medical Association of Georgia, and the Medical Association of Atlanta.

He lives in Atlanta with his wife and three daughters. He enjoys cooking, exercise, exploring the city for interesting culinary experiences, and spending time with his family.

Dr. Wewel is a board-certified, fellowship trained neurosurgeon. He earned his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center after completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas. He completed his residency at Rush University Medical Center, followed by a fellowship at the Barrow Neurologic Institute. Dr. Wewel is a member of American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Joint Section on the Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves and the Georgia Neurosurgical Society. He has published numerous book chapters and scientific articles in peer-reviewed medical journals.

Dr. Wewel specializes in the surgical treatment of brain tumors, spinal tumors, stereotactic radiosurgery, spinal stenosis, herniated discs, deformity, and trauma. While he performs a wide scope of cranial and spinal surgeries, he is passionate about implementing minimally invasive techniques.

In his spare time, Dr. Wewel enjoys spending time with his wife, their extended families, traveling and the outdoors.

Dr. Wewel sees patients at Piedmont Atlanta, Fayetteville, Stockbridge, and Vinings locations. He welcomes new patients and accepts most insurance plans.

David M. Benglis, Jr., M.D. is a Board Certified Neurosurgeon practicing at Atlanta Brain and Spine Care. He completed a complex spine and minimally invasive fellowship at the University of Miami. He is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of both surgical and non-surgical spinal disorders. Dr. Benglis has recently authored various book chapters and journal articles on these specific topics. Dr. Benglis, along with his P.A., Patrice Braun, believe that patient education about their condition is the most important part of the process. In his free time he enjoys travelling, collecting wine, and outdoor activities.

Dr. Benglis treats a wide range of spinal disorders including:

• Cervical/lumbar/thoracic disc disease/herniations and stenosis • Spondylolisthesis cervical/lumbar/thoracic • Spinal trauma • Spine tumors

He utilizes modern cutting edge techniques (O-arm CT navigation, disc replacement, minimally invasive screws) to ensure his patient’s fast return to function following surgery.

Dr. Benglis was born and raised in southwestern Louisiana. He completed his undergraduate training with high honors at the University of Texas at Austin earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Microbiology and attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio graduating with honors through the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) society.

He graduated from his neurosurgical residency at the University of Miami in 2011. From 2007-2009 Dr. Benglis completed a two-year non-ACGME advanced subspecialty fellowship in spinal neurosurgery under the guidance of his spine mentors now chairman of neurosurgery Dr. Alan Levi, M.D., Phd., Dr. Michael Y. Wang, M.D., Dr. Steve Vanni, D.O., and chairman emeritus Dr. Barth Green M.D. who directed one of the largest spinal cord injury research centers in the country; the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

Dr. Benglis is Medical Director of the Atlanta Institute for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. He performs outpatient minimally invasive surgery at Perimeter Surgery Center and other operations at Piedmont Main Campus. Dr. Benglis is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), the Georgia Neurological Society, and the AANS-CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine.

Dr. Benglis holds positions on the Piedmont Hospital Governance committee, Credentialing committee, and Operative Block committee.

Michele M. Johnson M.D. is a fellowship-trained, board certified neurosurgeon at Atlanta Brain and Spine Care. She specializes in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery for a variety of conditions, including degenerative spinal disease, spinal tumors, and spinal cord injury.

Dr. Johnson’s mission is to provide her patients with compassionate and comprehensive care with the best possible outcomes. She understands that each patient is different and has specific needs. Dr. Johnson educates her patients about their condition and helps them to understand all of their treatment options. She strongly believes that the doctor-patient relationship is a partnership based on excellent communication and understanding.

Born in Texas and raised as a military dependent around the world, Dr. Johnson completed her pre-med studies at the University of Oregon where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with Honors. Following college, she completed a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Johnson later received her Medical Doctorate (MD) with Honors from Yale University Medical School in New Haven, Connecticut.

Dr. Johnson completed her Neurosurgical residency training at Emory University in Atlanta and further specialized by completing a complex and minimally invasive spine fellowship at Emory University under Dr. Gerald Rodts. Dr. Johnson started her career as a complex and minimally invasive spine surgeon at the University of Texas in Houston in 2008 where she was an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and both the Medical Director and Director of Spinal Trauma at Mischer Neuroscience Institute until her return to Atlanta.

Dr. Johnson is a member of several prestigious organizations including the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and the Georgia Neurosurgical Society. She serves on the Executive Committee of the Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves and on the American College of Radiology as a neurosurgery and spine expert.

With over 15 years of combined training and experience, Dr. Johnson believes it is a privilege and duty to advance the care of spinal patients and to train the next generation. You can find her name as a co-author on a number of published papers in the Journal of Neurosurgery Spine and Journal of Neurotrauma, Science, and Genetics. Dr. Johnson is one of the most trusted doctors in her field as represented by their decision to honor her as one of the “Rising Stars” and “Best Doctors.”

Through her years of experience, she has assembled an impressive team of physicians, therapists, and specialists for her patients with disorders of the spine. Dr. Johnson is committed to providing exceptional clinical care in order to deliver the highest quality outcomes for her patients, and she specializes in the treatment of the following diseases and conditions:

• Minimally Invasive Spine Procedures • Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Degenerative Disc Disease • Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Spinal Stenosis • Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Disc Herniations • Complex Spinal Instrumentation • Spine, Spinal Cord and Nerve Sheath Tumors • Spinal Trauma • Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Fractures • Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Spinal Cord Injuries • Neuromodulation for Failed Back Syndrome

Originally from Texas, Dr. Johnson now resides in Atlanta with her husband and two sons. In her spare time, Dr. Johnson enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. Her family shares her passion for outdoor activities and sports. She volunteers at her sons’ schools and is involved in both her church and community.