WHAT PATIENTS ARE SAYING
Edie Norton
“It seems that these days we're more likely to hear of people complaining about poor treatment or less than stellar customer service than we are people expressing thankfulness -- so, after all this time, I want to thank you once again for taking such good care of me. With the two surgeries you did, in 2017 and 2022, I'm free of neck pain and there's no doubt that my cervical spine has excellent structural integrity!
Case(s) in point: A year ago I was stopped in traffic on Georgetown Pike when a woman rear-ended me at fairly high speed, sandwiching my little Honda Civic in between her SUV and the one in front of me. My car didn't fare too well, but my neck hardware obviously did its job, because I did in fact fare well! Then this past August -- and this is the one I wish I had on video, because it had to look like a slapstick routine! -- I lost my footing and stumbled across my patio for about 7 or 8 feet.
I finally came to a halt when I head-butted the side of my house at high speed (and then spun around and slammed it with my upper arm and then landed with my rear end in the metal well around the basement window -- hence the wish for video footage). Thankfully, our house has vinyl siding rather than brick, but it was still quite the impact.
Again, no neck injury as a result. And one more thing...sometime after the 2017 surgery, I found that when I yawned I would experience pain in the front of my neck that radiated to my ear. It was an odd sensation, but I figured it might have something to do with some type of pin or staple; but since the procedure in 2022, that problem is gone.
So, many thanks for fixing that as well! Anyway, I just wanted to take a moment to once again express my gratitude to you (and Monica) and everyone in your office. I continue to sing your praises to people looking for recommendations.”
Tim Winter
In December of 2017 I had a microdiscectomy done by the Center for Cranial and Spinal Surgery. Doctor Hope and his team are the best! They were very accommodating to get me in quickly for surgery as my pain was very severe. He is very knowledgeable and was very comforting before and after the surgery. Its been a year and a half and I'm feeling great! I would highly recommend that others choose Dr. Hope!
David Hertzberg
I first met Dr. Donald Hope in late July of 2019 for a consultation regarding an MRI that showed considerable disc deterioration at multiple levels in my cervical spine area. Dr. Hope had come highly recommended from a sports medicine doctor I had been seeing in Washington DC. I had spent the previous 18 months trying every conceivable non-invasive treatment for my symptoms — numbness in one hand and pain in the other arm — including chiropractic, acupuncture, physical therapy, massage, diet change and injections.
I met Dr. Hope at his Reston office and immediately found him kind, affable, thoughtful, serious, engaged, and interested in me. After speaking with him, I felt great confidence both in his knowledge and abilities and, most importantly, in his desire to take good care of me. He sat with me for almost 30 minutes, showing me the details of the MRI, and explaining to me with great patience and insight what needed to be done to alleviate my symptoms. After spending a few weeks thinking about it, I set a surgery date.
On September 12, 2019, Dr. Hope performed a multilevel ACDF on me at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. Prior to the surgery, he told me in great detail what he was going to do and, as he had done before, reminded me about possible unpleasant side effects, notably intense pain in my shoulder and back muscles. I told him that I was sure I could deal with that.
I woke up in the recovery room; the nurse asked me about my pain level, and I told her I had none. I was taken to my hospital room, where I stayed overnight, so that my incision could be monitored.
Dr. Hope called me the next morning, and then called me again on each of the following two days, to check on me and to make sure that I was comfortable. Dr. Hope indicated to me that the surgery, which he had anticipated would take 90 minutes, actually took three hours, as there was a lot of unanticipated work he had to do. I could at that moment barely come up with words to express my gratitude.
It has now been two weeks and, miraculously, I have experienced zero discomfort from the procedure, after which I felt immediate relief from some of the worst symptoms that had been bothering me in my hands and arm. Dr. Hope told me on the second phone call that he would be going out of town, but that I should feel free to call him or text him if I had any concerns. In fact, he called me each day he was away to make sure I was doing well. Could one possibly ask for a more caring doctor?
I do not recall such kindness and concern from any other physician that I have worked with in my entire life. Dr. Hope, thank you for restoring my health, you are a miracle worker.
Cora Good
On November 17, 2018, I woke up and couldn't move, well barely. I made several visits to my chiropractor, my massage therapist and even my local VA Emergency Room. My Chiropractor ordered x-rays for me. When the x-rays didn't show the problem, he ordered an MRI for me. When he received my images, he relayed to me that two discs in my neck were pinching my spinal cord and I should go for a surgery consultation as soon as possible. He HIGHLY recommended Dr. Hope at Center for Cranial & Spinal Surgery.
My consultation was scheduled for December 21st. During this appointment, Dr. Hope explained my situation in a way I understood completely. He recommended surgery sooner than later. Considering the benefits of the surgery and how I was currently feeling, I felt confident in having the surgery done. I had the surgery done on January 10th. It's almost been a month and I have absolutely NO COMPLAINTS. When I wake up, I can feel my arms. I can use my arms. I can move faster. I have more energy. My pain levels are way down for the areas that were treated. During my post op appointments, Dr. Hope answered all my questions (mainly what I could do and when) thoroughly. Having the surgery has changed my life, SERIOUSLY changed my life!!!
Lisa D
I had been having neck pain for years then recently started tripping and having limited mobility/strength in my right arm. An MRI showed C4-C5 herniated disc compressing my spinal cord. My husband had gone to Dr. Hope five years ago with tremendous positive results. Surgery of this nature can be very serious and I wanted Dr. Hope as my surgeon.
There was no pain at the hospital (morphine drip), and I took a pain killer for only one day after my return home. I stopped taking any pain medication after the first day as I didn’t need it. I had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic and called Dr. Hope. He immediately called me back! How reassuring! I returned to work two weeks later, but honestly I could have returned in one week. I highly recommend Dr. Hope! I felt like he and his staff really cared about MY surgery/recovery and that I was not just another number of many patients. Doesn’t get better than that!
Cyndi Messick
When it was clear I needed to have two disks in my neck fixed, I asked everyone I knew to recommend a doctor. Time and again, the answer was Dr. Donald Hope. After consulting with him, I was fully confident and ready to move forward with the procedure. Dr. Hope is wonderful, his PA and office staff are wonderful, and I am so happy I found him! My surgery was done at Fair Oaks Inova. They kept me overnight, and I had excellent care there! The whole experience was very positive. With my intense pain gone, I am looking forward to reclaiming my life, thanks to Dr. Hope!
Vicki Novak
Two months ago, after suffering extreme lower back and leg pain for weeks, I had an MRI and discovered I had a large cyst on my lower spine. I consulted with a Spinal Orthopedic Specialist who suggested major back surgery with the fusion of two vertebrae and a 6 to 9 month recovery period. I wanted a second opinion, and Dr. Hope had been strongly recommended by my surgeon. I contacted his receptionist who had me fax my MRI report over immediately, and the next day, I was called and an appointment was set up for me to see Dr. Hope in just a few days.
I loved him immediately, especially when he said "I can definitely help you by doing a minimally invasive surgery to remove the cyst, on an in out patient basis, and the full recovery period will be about 3 months". This sounded so much better than the more complicated fusion and longer recuperation period so I jumped on it. His surgery scheduler did a great job getting me set for surgery quickly at the Reston Surgery Center, and in no time, it was over and I was home recovering.
Two weeks later after no complications, I went back for a 2 week checkup with Dr. Hope's excellent Physicians Assistant and after a month I was checked out by Dr. Hope. Now it has been 6 weeks and I am continuing to recover with no complications and only a little discomfort when I sit too long, bend too much, or lift too much, not surprisingly.
I highly recommend Dr. Hope and the entire staff at the Center for Cranial & Spinal Surgery. They are a small staff and they made me feel like family. My experience could NOT have been better.
May Law
I went to see Dr. Hope for a herniated disk that was causing significant pain in my leg. It was difficult to walk without limping around. Dr. Hope and his team were excellent. They answered all my questions, walked me through the process, and made me comfortable. The surgery itself was very successful and the pain was relieved. I was quite apprehensive about surgery and only considered it as a last resort. But when I finally decided to move forward with surgery, I am glad I chose Dr. Hope and the Center for Cranial and Spinal Surgery!
Lynne Bucaro
In early May 2018, I suddenly began experiencing almost constant pain across the back of my left shoulder and down through my arm. As the pain intensified, my doctors in Bluffton, South Carolina diagnosed the problem as a herniated disc and recommended physical therapy and acupuncture hoping that the condition would improve over time. After suffering over three months of almost constant, severe pain, I contacted Dr. Hope in VA who offered to see me and review my MRI whenever I could return to VA. My subsequent meeting with Dr. Hope and his very competent staff provided me with the confidence – for the first time in three months - that I could return to a pain-free life. His analysis was easy to understand, as were the details of the correcting operation and the post-op experience I could expect should I decide to go forward.
To suit my own schedule, Dr. Hope scheduled my cervical discectomy for two weeks after this our first meeting and then contacted me by phone to guide me through the pre-op period. The operation was so successful (the intense pain is completely gone), and my fairly active life is returning to normal. After the operation, Dr. Hope contacted me both in the hospital (in person) and several times at my home (by phone); and this was so important in helping me get through the post-operation issues. I attribute the wonderfully-successful outcome to these three factors: Dr. Hope’s lengthy experience and his clearly recognizable competence; use of his own team during the surgery; and his and his staffs’ empathetic and cheerful character. I have known Dr. Hope for many years as well as many of his former patients, the latter of whom have communicated only praise and satisfaction with their experience.
Gary Phares
Dr. Hope and his staff are awesome! I cannot say enough about how great they are. I have suffered from sciatica for over 2 years and endured spinal injections, physical therapy and chiropractic care. I was referred to Dr Hope by a friend that had back surgery done by the good doctor. I went in with my MRI and Dr. Hope looked at the MRI, told me what was wrong, and how he was going to fix it. I had the surgery, which was outpatient, and went back to work 2 weeks later! Thanks to Dr. Hope and his great staff, I am again able to do things that I wasn't able to do for years. THANKS DR. HOPE!!!!!
Susanne H-W
Dr. Hope performed Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion surgery on May 8, 2017 replacing the C5-6 and C6-7 discs. An extremely irritated nerve due to Lyme disease and arthritis caused major problems and had weakened my right arm tremendously. I was told to have surgery right away in order to avoid lasting damage. Dr. Hope confirmed this opinion and I was impressed with him and his staff and decided to go with him and have it done as an outpatient procedure.
I was home after a few hours, took walks every day starting on day 2 and was able to go back to teaching yoga after 2 1/2 weeks. I was careful with my practice adding slowly planks and Vinyasas and didn't do the shoulder stand for one year. After a few months I went to a few physical therapy sessions to make sure that I was equally strong on both sides.
I can recommend Dr. Hope and his staff highly. I have had no issues since then and the scar is barely noticeable.
David Harper
On November the 2nd, 2017, Dr Hope performed Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion surgery on me. This involved removing and replacing the C5-6, and C6-7 discs. My mobility had been greatly affected at certain times because of Spondylosis Myelopathy, making ascending stairs and standing difficult. Walking after sitting for a period of time was also a challenge, and was an increasing concern. After being told I needed cervical surgery by an orthopedic surgeon, I decided to see Dr Hope, a neurosurgeon, for a second opinion. My husband and I were greatly impressed with him, and his adorable PA. His first words to me were: “You are too young to be walking like this,” as he could see that it was very difficult. I had just turned 70, and was encouraged to hear that he could help me.
Dr Hope is well named! Without surgery, falling, tripping, or even a sneeze could have resulted in paralysis. The day after the surgery I was able to walk with absolutely no pain, and no difficulty—and it has continued! I am thrilled that I am now able to do a brisk two mile walk each day. I am elated that I can sit for long periods of time, and then stand, and immediately walk with no difficulty.
Dr Hope is outstanding, He is compassionate, an excellent listener and responder to questions, and a brilliant surgeon! His practice has a marvelous support system which is immediately available at any time both before and after surgery. He was an answer to much prayer. No words can express my gratitude to him, his staff, and Fair Oaks Hospital.
Allan Caban
I just had surgery with Dr. Hope 1 month ago for a large protruding disc L4-L5. He is awesome. The pain completely went away and I am starting physical therapy now. I have never seen someone work as hard as him as you see a constant flow of patients he is treating and he personally sees them all. I highly recommend Dr. Hope.
David Sutula
I recently needed a spinal fusion performed to repair some degenerating discs in my neck. Fortunately, the greater Washington DC area is full of competent doctors. But, my true fortune was meeting Dr. Hope when he fixed a ruptured disc in my lower back 12 years earlier. Dr. Hope’s explanation of what was happening to my discs (both then and now) and the options available to me was both clear and gentle. His warm demeanor made me feel at ease despite the anxiety of needing surgery on such sensitive locations. He even won over my better half. So much so that when she left his office after our consult, she stated emphatically, “He’s going to do your surgery.” Can’t argue with that.
Many many thanks Dr. Hope. You are a true angel. I‘ve already passed on your contact information to a colleague experiencing some sciatic nerve issues.
Mary Ann Godfrey
I was referred to Dr. Hope by a neighbor who had had a very positive experience with him. He was able to treat her condition with a simpler procedure than had been proposed by another surgeon. I needed cervical spine surgery because of numbness and weakness in my hands and arms. I was very apprehensive about surgery since I am over 70 and had never had surgery except on a thumb and had never been in the hospital. Prior to seeing Dr. Hope, I had seen two other neurosurgeons for opinions.
Prior to the appointment I had read one review of Dr. Hope that was extremely negative about his manner with patients so I was concerned that he would be abrupt and rude. I was very pleasantly surprised. He was cordial, friendly, and down to earth. He explained the procedure that he proposed very thoroughly. I really liked him and felt confident with him. I scheduled the surgery and he gave me his cell number to call if I had questions.
I had the surgery five months ago and have absolutely nothing but praise for Dr. Hope and his nurse, Monica. He and Monica work closely together and she has assisted him in surgery for many years. I spoke with her about 5 times prior to surgery and she explained exactly what would happen from the minute I walked into the hospital until discharge the next day. She said that she and Dr. Hope feel that it is important to reduce presurgical anxiety as much as possible to ensure a better outcome. When I arrived at the hospital the morning of the surgery I wasn’t even nervous.
The surgery went exactly as explained. Following the surgery, I spoke with Monica several times. She was always available and would contact Dr. Hope if needed. I also spoke with Dr. Hope the weekend following the surgery. I always knew that I could make contact with either Monica or Dr. Hope whenever I needed. That was a great comfort and very helpful even if I had minor questions.
I am so glad that my neighbor recommended Dr. Hope.
Lady Q
I was running from surgery for 2 years after a car accident and I finally gave in. Dr. Hope isn't cut happy and performed a discectomy with fusion on me- I can't thank him enough. My procedure went well and the lack of pain to my affected nerves was evident right away. You will be in great hands under the care of Dr. Hope and his practice.
Charity Coates
I am very impressed with Dr. Hope's bedside manner. He is soft-spoken, listens to the patient and agrees with the patient on what is best for the patient and not the doctor. His character is welcoming and when you leave his office you know and are assured the right decision has been made. I can't thank Dr. Hope enough for allowing me the opportunity to have been evaluated by him. And he is charming.
Nadia Blanchard
At the age of 25, I have been suffering from variable-location back pain for about 10 years now due to congenital scoliosis. Within the past 5 years or so, and especially within the last year, my quality of life has drastically decreased due to neck pain. I tried chiropractor visits over time, but it always felt like a disappointingly brief bandaid to what I inherently knew was a mechanical problem. And my insurance makes you jump through so many hoops to get an MRI; I was in school full time as a STEM major and worked all throughout too, so I ultimately held on until after I graduated to take care of the problem (which meant that I was essentially living on NSAIDs nearly 24/7).
Finally, a Google search for a qualified neurosurgeon lead me to Dr. Hope. Fearing that yet another doctor would dismiss my testimony of pain just because of my youth, I was very grateful and relieved when Dr. Hope treated me with respect, took me seriously without assumptions or doubt, and set me forth with the insurance game plan that would ultimately lead to the MRI I have needed for years.
After 12 sessions of physical therapy, he was able to write me a referral for the scan. He reviewed it in a subsequent visit, jovially agreed that it was ugly, but confidently told me that he could fix it. He then showed and explained to me that I had a collapsed disc at C6/C7, gave me the option of injections, but also said that if I felt like enough is enough, I am a perfect candidate for a surgery he has performed thousands of times. Enough is definitely enough, and I scheduled my anterior discectomy with fusion on the same day for a mere 2 weeks later!
My father however, being protective of me and concerned, was not at all thrilled about the fusion aspect of the surgery, and adamantly asserted that he wanted me to get a second opinion about a total disc replacement instead. Dr. Hope gave me his personal cell phone number before I scheduled surgery for if I had any medical questions. I understand how busy doctors are, much less a neurosurgeon—they have sacrificed so many aspects of life to take care of others because they feel a deep responsibility to the world— so while I was very impressed by and appreciative of the gesture, I never expected to use it. In my opinion, when the doctor goes home, he should be able to go home and be with his family.
But given the circumstances, I felt pressured to ask Dr. Hope some additional questions, and reached out. He told me that he would call me before 9pm the same day, and did. He answered all of my questions and concerns, including his professional opinion about why ACDF was the superior option to CTDR in my case, and even honestly affirmed that if it were him or his wife in my position, he would get the ACDF. He even explained things from a medically mechanical perspective, which made me feel so very confident about his expertise.
I am going to go through with the surgery. I know that my review may be a little preemptively positive since I have yet to undergo the procedure and recover, but I just feel really great about this. On certain occasions his waiting room gets a little backed up and appointment times run long, but to anyone upset about that... please give this guy a break! He is literally in the midst of taking care of everyone, day in and day out, and he does so with an incredible amount of perfectionism, professionalism, and grace. Even during what is technically his free time. Northern Virginia is truly blessed to have him. I am going to be entering the field of dentistry, which is notoriously very hard on the neck and spine, and the nerves and spinal cord that he will be working around soon directly dictate my ability to work on my future patients with precision. A lot is at stake here, as with any surgery, yet somehow I am not worried about the outcome at all. That says a lot about the doctor I am choosing to care for me. Thank you Dr. Hope! All the respect in the world. Seeya soon.
Donna Henriques
I ruptured 4 disc in my neck and they were pushing on my spinal cord and pinching my nerves. I was referred to Dr Hope by my chiropractor , pain management doctor and physical therapist. I was in so much pain and no non-surgical procedures seemed to help me. I ended up having my C 4-7 fused, boy was i scared! His office staff, including his AWESOME surgical nurse and scheduler) went out of their way to ensure i was supported and comfortable, especially since i had no family nearby to assist.
Dr Hope is so smart, patience, great bedside manner and he really CARES! After surgery I developed vertigo and between Dr Hope and his Surgical Nurse they were very responsive. Unfortunately, I was sent to the ER a few times about the vertigo symptoms and Dr Hope came up personally to check on me to ensure I wasn't having a stroke on Father's Day without hesitation!!! I absolutely am pleased with the surgery results, my care, Dr Hope, his surgical nurse and his Reston office team (I went to the Reston office). I highly recommend them!
Chris Gray
***2-part story with 2 different surgeries 21-years apart***
Dr. Hope is an answer to prayer. It started back in the late 1990's when I was in my late 20's and had an accident that caused severe sciatica. I couldn't walk more than 25 yards without resting for a few minutes before continuing. I had ruptured L4-L5 and herniated L5-S1. I spent a year in terrible pain until my orthopedic neighbor recommended Dr. Hope. He was the first surgeon who gave me hope (pun intended). Nobody else offered to do surgery and said it was too risky, but Dr. Hope said that it was fixable. He was correct. Immediately the sciatica was gone and I was completely healed. Just over a year later I finished my first of 3 Ironman triathlons and went on to run dozens of triathlons, marathons and other races over the next 15 years, which is no small feet for a 6'3" 210-lb guy.
About 20 years later my back started to act up again, and progressively got worse over the course of a year. It started with low back pain and quickly spread to my leg. During a routine a routine workout at the gym (I work out 5-days a week every week), something happened. I immediately couldn't walk without tremendous pain and couldn't even lay flat. I tried everything, including epidurals, p/t, chiropractic care, etc., but nothing worked. I went back to Dr. Hope and he saw the problem on the MRI and scheduled surgery (herniated disk and growth on the vertebrae bone). He scheduled surgery and I am now 5 weeks post-op. I couldn't feel better. The leg pain is completely gone and I feel 20-years younger. My back no longer even aches when doing dishes.
Dr. Hope is the best!
C H
Dr. Hope is a genuinely nice guy who has really good bedside manner. He is very approachable and his office is small. Wait time are not long and he is not “cut happy” he only recommends surgery when vital!
Victoria Marshall
I was referred to Dr. Hope by my Neurologist, whose secretary used and recommended him. I suffered for over a year visiting another doctor in my hometown. Dr. Hope was kind, this Financial office was thorough and his Secretary was sweet. Dr. Hope consulted, advised, did x-rays - then recommended surgery. One year and six months later - this patient was blessed by a man that God used to give me relief. Dr. Hope gave me hope and a second chance at life. I highly recommend him.
Kristin Quinn
If I could rate Dr. Hope and his team 100 stars I would without hesitation. I can not begin to tell you how pleased I am with Dr. Hope and every member of his team. From the initial consult, through working with my insurance company, surgical scheduling, pre/post op care they have all been nothing short of extraordinary. The professionalism and competence is mind-blowing.
When I first saw Dr. Hope I had been suffering for 6 months. My condition had progressed from stiffness and occasional pain in my neck and arm to practically no use of my left side, no ability to hold anything in my left hand, and CONSTANT pain/numbness/tingling from my left shoulder all the way to the tips of my thumb and index finger. I couldn't sleep, I was angry all the time, I had lost the ability to do anything I loved or to even have a simple conversation without being completely distracted by pain.
Dr. Hope listened attentively, and made me feel like he had all the time in the world to talk with me. He answered my ever question, gave practical, understandable information and sound advice on how to proceed (I needed a discectomy and fusion in my neck). His comfort with the subject matter and complete confidence in his and my ability to solve this together inspired me to get my life back. We scheduled the procedure the next day, he performed it about a month later (he offered to do it sooner for me, but my schedule didn't permit), had me home the same day as my surgery and within 72 hours I was 100% pain free, on no medication - not even tylenol, although he sent meds home in case I needed them...I was driving my car by the end of the week, and were it not for my incision would have ZERO concerns about returning to all my favorite active lifestyle sports.
The care and concern that each person I came into contact with was outstanding. Calls from nurses to check in, text messages from the doctor himself answering my many questions before and after the procedure, or just to find out how I was feeling, emails from other office personnel to remind me of little details I might easily forget...I've never experienced anything like it in this day and age of "health care hurry up". My only regret is that I don't need any other spinal surgeries, as I can't imagine how I will ever allow anyone but him to work on me ever again. If you're in pain and worrying and waiting, STOP. You can have your life back too! Dr. Hope is your miracle waiting to happen. Call him TODAY!
George Garsson
I count myself lucky to have found Dr. Hope and often wonder what kind of shape I might be in if I hadn’t. Dr. Hope has been my cervical surgeon for more than 10 years now. I’ve seen several other Neurosurgeons but Dr. Hope is the only one I’ve let work on my neck. I’ve had three surgeries with Dr. Hope: a C7/C6 fusion in 2007, a C6/C5/C4 fusion in 2015, and most recently C7/C6 & C4/C3 fusions to repair my neck from an auto accident I was in. Each and every surgery, I’ve come through the surgery feeling 110% better than I had before. The severe symptoms experienced prior to surgery cleared up within days. I’ve been on heavy, daily doses of pain killers for the past year and 8 days after this last surgery I was able to stop taking them.
Dr. Hope, from all my experiences with him, is a doctor who cares about the patient. For each of my three surgeries, DR Hope insured I was fully informed on what was wrong with me, options I had available to address my issues, and what to expect from surgery and during the recovery. There were times in the past, months after surgery, where I called into the office with concerns about my neck and the office staff fit me in immediately. Once I went into the office to address a lumbar issue and was told by Dr. Hope the surgery I required was beyond what he was comfortable doing so he referred me to a specialist in that area. I have more confidence in a doctor who tells me when he’s confident he can help as well as when he believes I’d be better off seeing another specialist.
As I stated before, I count myself lucky to have found Dr. Hope. I’ve interviewed and consulted with other neurosurgeons and have not been treated as well or as informed as with Dr. Hope.
Scott Zivic
I have had multiple surgeries with Dr Hope. After my last lower back surgery I felt so good, I was out running errands the next day. Woke up in recovery and my leg already felt better. I would only let him do any back surgery. He has also worked on a few family members, and we have all had the same result. I would very highly recommend for any surgery that he can do.
Kevin Hrynkow
Dr. Hope is outstanding. He has performed two separate cervical fusions on me in 2008 and 2014. I now have additional neck pain and he evaluated me and opted to not perform another surgery until I tried other treatment options. Very impressive that a surgeon was not anxious to operate as the first course of action. He has been the utmost professional and very compassionate. I highly recommend him.
Jesse Fairbanks
Dr. Hope is awesome!!! I had been dealing with two herniated discs in my neck for the better part of a year. I was originally going to MedStar since it was close to my house and they did nothing but offer up meds and injections which did nothing for the severe nerve pain going down my arm and back (this went on for almost 6 months). I did some research and found Dr. Hope based on his numerous accolades and stellar track record. Upon meeting Dr. Hope for a second opinion, he quickly recognized the problem and understood what it would take to make me 100% again. He was able to get me into surgery within weeks to fix my two herniated discs. The night after my surgery and the following couple of days, Dr. Hope called me personally to check in on my recovery! It's been about 4 weeks since my surgery and I am already back to 100% (minus the post-op activity restrictions). Zero pain and full mobility. I have already recommended Dr. Hope to several co-workers as well who are also having issues with their necks/backs. 100% recommend Dr. Hope to anyone needing this type of treatment! Dr. Hope is very professional, highly skilled, and personable. 5 STARS!
Cathy Laporta
I was referred by a business friend to Dr. Donald Hope. I am a professional school bus driver. And my job requires a lot of looking around and I was in a lot of pain.I had surgery 4/12 at wmc and been in pain ever since I had the surgery. I suffered with a lot of neck and back pain and shoulder pain and numbness in my arms and hands. I had surgery to remove old surgical remove and redone and another one above it. Dr. Donald Hope told me what was going to happen step by step. I am so glad he gave me a new life to go on God Bless you Dr. Hope thank you so much.
Heather Holleran
My first procedure was done by Dr. Hope 17 years ago. I found myself needing another surgery and there was never any doubt who I'd seek out to do the procedure even though we had moved to Fredericksburg from Vienna. We adore the office staff, Dr. Hope, his nurse and his P.A. Not only is Dr. Hope a top notch surgeon, he has a fantastic personality and is easygoing. My 3 children love going to see everyone there and we're bummed this time when they realized it was my last appointment and they wouldn't be seeing "the gang" anymore. I really can't speak highly enough about the team and Dr. Hope. I feel fantastic and know that I was in the best of hands at all times!
Suzanne Clark
Dr. Hope performed surgery on me in 2013 for a herniated disc. He was professional, empathetic, and caring. The surgery was 100% successful and overnight my pain was gone. Recently I was evaluated for other issues, and Dr. Hope recommended not having surgery at this time. I have only had wonderful experiences with him and his staff. I have recommended him highly to others and continue to do so.
Dixon Cleveland
Dr. Hope successfully fixed my back twice. 12 years ago, severe sciatica went down my right leg. I often had to watch my feet when I walked because I couldn’t feel where my right foot was coming down.
Dr. Hope removed some bone spurs and disk material that was impinging on my naturally narrow spinal canal. When I woke up after surgery, the pain was gone and I could tell what my foot was doing without looking at it. The nurses had to keep me from dancing right there in the recovery room. After all, I had an incision wound that had to heal.
My back was fine for 11 years. Then last year the sciatica began to reappear. The bone spurs were growing back – Hope says they can do that. PT helped but was not enough, so it was time for surgery again. The results were equally successful.
I suppose the bone spurs may come back yet again, so I might need surgery in another 10 years. That’s fine with me. Surgery, done well, is a trivial price to pay for physical freedom. Thank you, Dr. Hope.
John Case
I have had 2 spinal surgeries with Dr Hope the latest being a herniated L3-L4 disc, with associated bone spurs. The pain I was in was excruciating to the point where I could barely function. Dr hope, after looking at the mri operated as soon as he could. After about a 2 hour inpatient surgery, I WALKED out of his place of surgery. Only had incision pain (staples) for about a week and now I am PAIN FREE. Dr Hope, without question, is the finest spinal surgeon in our area. His confidence, patient demeanor and capabilities will put any patient as ease with the issues they may have. His PA, Althea, is pleasant, knowledgeable, informative and professional.
Dr. Hope is an incredible person/surgeon and should be your first choice for spinal surgery. My hope is that I don't have any more spinal issues, but if that day were to come, there is no question I will return to see Dr Hope, even though we are retiring soon to North Carolina. I will strongly recommend Dr. Hope to ANYBODY needing spine surgery. Thank you so very much Dr. Hope for a normal lifestyle again.
Michelle Sims
I was in a very bad car accident in March. I was amazed by the amount of people (friends and family) who spoke so highly of Dr. Hope. I wanted to make sure I was seeing the best of the best and he was truly amazing. I felt as if he really cared about me and my well being. I had a lot of anxiety and was in a lot of pain and his personable and caring demeanor made me feel at ease. I have recommended Dr. Hope to other friends and they have all felt the same way! Before heading into surgery I loved knowing that I had "Hope" on my side!! I will be forever thankful to him!
Moji Ahmadi
I was referred to Sr. Hope by a friend who he operated on 3 years ago. My friend was beyond satisfied. After my visit with Dr. Hope and his professional staff, I am glad I made the choice.
Wes Narver
My wife and I met with Dr Hope and his staff in late October 2016. We met a compassionate and extremely knowledgeable Doctor and staff. I scheduled my surgery that same day. I won't take a lot of space / just want to say the operation for bone removal, fusion of spine bones, intervertebral disc space of spine and fusion went incredibly well. In Post Op appointment I was able to advise I did not use one pain or spasm pill through the weeks of my recovery time. The operation went that well.
The Pre Op and Post Op instructions were very clear. I am doing wonderfully and wholeheartedly recommend Dr Hope and his staff. Thank very much.
John Ratcliffe
I have been working with Dr. Hope for nearly 20 years and I can say that he is a fantastic surgeon! He is ethical, kind, and an all around great guy!
LJ Johns
I was struck by a cab while in a crosswalk and suffered a neck injury which involved the C5-C6 vertebrae being embedded into my spinal cord. I ended up going to three different neurosurgeons for opinions and all three, who were excellent, strongly recommended a discectomy. I did substantial research and talked extensively to all three and ended up going with Dr. Hope. It was unquestionably one of the best medical decisions I have ever made.
Dr. Hope explained every aspect of the surgery thoroughly, and answered all of my questions in detail. I also had the surgery at Reston Hospital, which was another great choice. At Reston Hospital, Dr. Hope was able to bring in his entire team, from anesthesiologist to OR nurse to OR techs and the surgery went like clockwork. (Reston Hospital gets very high marks from me as well, and staying overnight in a private room with excellent nurses allayed any fears I had about hospitals.)
I have heard complaints about the bedside manner of some surgeons, and that was absolutely not the case with Dr. Hope. He was the last person I saw before I went under, and the first person I saw when I woke up from anesthesia, and his entire OR team was excellent. Dr. Hope checked on me the next day, and I followed up with his Neuro PA, Alfia, who was also excellent. I am nearly pain free and have significantly more mobility than I had previously. Obviously someone working on your spine is a very big deal, but I would recommend Dr. Hope without hesitation.
Barney Doan
Dr. Hope performed a microdiscectomy on my L5-S1. He was absolutely wonderful. Would highly recommend this highly rated physician. If you're going to have this kind of surgery, it's best to get it done by a neurosurgeon rather than an orthopedist.