Two New ROC Express Locations

NOW OPEN - ROC Express in Fernley and ROC Express in South Reno, just off Mt. Rose Highway. Urgent orthopedic care in more convenient locations.

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775-786-3040 800-748-6861

Joseph Chavarria, MD

  • Specialties

    Tumors, Scoliosis, Advanced Minimally Invasive Procedures, Cervical Disc Replacement, Motion-Preserving Surgery, Minimally Invasive Fusion and Decompression, Complex Reconstructive Surgery

  • Fellowship

    Spine - University of West Virginia & Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery - Neel Anand of Anand Spine Group at Cedars Sinai 

  • Residency

    University of Colorado

  • Medical School

    Baylor College of Medicine

  • Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

About Joseph Chavarria, MD


Dr. Joseph Chavarria is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon, caring for patients throughout Reno and Northern Nevada. One of the few spine surgeons who is dual fellowship-trained in both complex spine surgery and minimally invasive techniques, he treats patients of all ages across the full range of neck and back conditions.

He earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where he was named Outstanding Medical Student in Orthopaedic Surgery, and completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Colorado. He went on to complete two subspecialty spine fellowships: complex spine and deformity surgery at West Virginia University, training under nationally recognized spine surgeons Drs. Sanford Emery, John France, and Scott Daffner; and minimally invasive spine surgery with the Anand Spine Group at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, one of the nation's premier minimally invasive programs.

In practice, Dr. Chavarria treats the full spectrum of spinal conditions: degenerative, traumatic, tumor, and scoliosis. His dual training allows him to offer both advanced minimally invasive procedures, such as cervical disc replacement, motion-preserving surgery, and minimally invasive fusion and decompression, as well as the complex reconstructive surgery that more involved cases require.

Dr. Chavarria is also an accomplished researcher. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters in leading journals, including The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Neurosurgical Focus, and the Journal of Orthopaedics, and has presented his work at national meetings including the North American Spine Society, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Lumbar Spine Research Society, and the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.

His approach to care is conservative-first: he believes surgery is the right answer for some patients, not all, and that most spine problems can be treated without an operation. He takes the time to educate each patient and explain every option, surgical and non-surgical, so they can make an informed, confident decision. When surgery is the best choice, he uses minimally invasive techniques whenever possible to reduce pain and speed recovery. Above all, Dr. Chavarria is passionate about getting his patients back to the things they love, building a plan for each person that restores mobility, relieves pain, and helps them live life to the fullest.

Publications

  • Tummala S, Haslam D, Gibbs D, Alder J, Chavarria J, Avramis I, Rizkalla J. Evaluating the Risk of Postoperative Infection and Complications in Lumbar Spine Surgery Patients with Preoperative Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Colonization. Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery. 2025 Dec;145(1):1-1.

  • Tummala S, Chavarria J, Alder J, Avramis I, Rizkalla JM. BMI-stratified risk of thromboembolic events following lumbar spine surgery with aspirin prophylaxis. Journal of Orthopaedics. 2025 Oct 1;68:191-6

  • Hlavinka WJ, Sayyed AA, Ramakrishnan S, Chavarria J, Alder J, Avramis I, Rizkalla J. Endoscopic Dorsal Medial Branch Nerve Rhizotomy: A Systematic Review. Journal of Orthopaedics. 2025 Aug 13

  • Tummala S, Gibbs DC, Chavarria J, Alder J, Avramis I, Rizkalla JM. GLP-1 receptor agonist use in elective lumbar spine surgery: Reduced pseudarthrosis rates and favorable safety profile. Journal of Orthopaedics. 2025 Jul 1;65:227-32.

  • Tummala S, Chavarria J, Alder J, Avramis I, Rizkalla, JM. Full-endoscopic surgery in spinal oncology: a systematic review of clinical efficacy and outcomes. In Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings (pp. 1-10). July 2025.

  • Moriarty B, Jacob T, Sadlowski M, Fowler M, Rowan C, Chavarria J, Avramis I, Rizkalla J. The use of exoskeleton robotic training on lower extremity function in spinal cord injuries: A systematic review. Journal of orthopaedics. 2025 Jul 1;65:1-7.

  • Sabri SA, Laynes RA, Hoffman CJ, Chavarria JC, Prusick PJ, Weesner RE, Stringer N, Farrell JP, Gimarc D, Lowry MK, Patel V. Implications of lumbosacral transitional anatomy on vertebral numbering: evaluation of 3147 adult full-length spine radiographs. Neurosurgical Focus. 2025 Jun 1;58(6):E13.

  • Lee S, Gross C, Chavarria J. Synopsis of Foot and Ankle Surgery. Chapter Author. Wiley. January 2025.

  • Philippi M, Shin C, Quevedo S, Weiner J, Chavarria J, Avramis I, Rizkalla JM. Roussouly classification of adult spinal deformity. InBaylor University Medical Center Proceedings 2024 Jul 3 (Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 688-691). Taylor & Francis.

  • Burger E., Kleck CJ, Chavarria JC. Comprehensive Guide to Adult Spinal Deformity. Chapter Author. Cambridge Publishing. May 2024.

  • Parry JA, Chavarria JC, Chambers L, Rojas D, Nadeau J, Baldini T, Mauffrey C, Yang LV. The Efficacy of Cefazolin Versus Vancomycin Antibiotic Cement Spacers. Journal of Orthopedic Trauma. 2022 Sept.

  • Sabri SA, Chavarria JC, Swanson C, Burger E. Osteoporosis: An Update on Screening, Diagnosis, Evaluation and Treatment. Orthopedics. 2022 Jul 25:1-7.

  • Chavarria JC, Douleh DA, York PJ. Current Concepts Review: The Hip-Spine Challenge. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 103.19 (2021): 1852-1860.

  • Chavarria JC, Belton MD, Kleck CJ, Ou-Yang D. Acute Paraspinal Compartment Syndrome Following Non-Spinal Orthopedic Surgery. Orthopedics Today. 2021.

  • Quach V, Hanson J, Chavarria JC, Lindeque BG. Intraneural Ganglion Cysts of The Deep Peroneal Nerve Causing Rapidly Progressive Foot Drop. International Journal of Orthopaedics Research. 2021.

  • Ahmed AS, Chavarria JC, Brenneman T, Johnson K, Antonsen EL, Rosenfeld SB. Osteogenic Induction of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Cold Atmospheric Argon Plasma. Plasma Medicine., 6.2 (2016)

  • Tummala S, Gibbs DC, Chavarria J, Alder J, Avramis I, Rizkalla JM. GLP-1 receptor agonist use in elective lumbar spine surgery: Reduced pseudarthrosis rates and favorable safety profile. Journal of Orthopaedics. 2025 Jul 1;65:227-32.

  • Tummala S, Chavarria J, Alder J, Avramis I, Rizkalla, JM. Full-endoscopic surgery in spinal oncology: a systematic review of clinical efficacy and outcomes. In Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings (pp. 1-10). July 2025.

  • Moriarty B, Jacob T, Sadlowski M, Fowler M, Rowan C, Chavarria J, Avramis I, Rizkalla J. The use of exoskeleton robotic training on lower extremity function in spinal cord injuries: A systematic review. Journal of orthopaedics. 2025 Jul 1;65:1-7.

  • Sabri SA, Laynes RA, Hoffman CJ, Chavarria JC, Prusick PJ, Weesner RE, Stringer N, Farrell JP, Gimarc D, Lowry MK, Patel V. Implications of lumbosacral transitional anatomy on vertebral numbering: evaluation of 3147 adult full-length spine radiographs. Neurosurgical Focus. 2025 Jun 1;58(6):E13.

  • Lee S, Gross C, Chavarria J. Synopsis of Foot and Ankle Surgery. Chapter Author. Wiley. January 2025.

  • Philippi M, Shin C, Quevedo S, Weiner J, Chavarria J, Avramis I, Rizkalla JM. Roussouly classification of adult spinal deformity. InBaylor University Medical Center Proceedings 2024 Jul 3 (Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 688-691). Taylor & Francis.

  • Burger E., Kleck CJ, Chavarria JC. Comprehensive Guide to Adult Spinal Deformity. Chapter Author. Cambridge Publishing. May 2024.

  • Parry JA, Chavarria JC, Chambers L, Rojas D, Nadeau J, Baldini T, Mauffrey C, Yang LV. The Efficacy of Cefazolin Versus Vancomycin Antibiotic Cement Spacers. Journal of Orthopedic Trauma. 2022 Sept.

  • Sabri SA, Chavarria JC, Swanson C, Burger E. Osteoporosis: An Update on Screening, Diagnosis, Evaluation and Treatment. Orthopedics. 2022 Jul 25:1-7.

  • Chavarria JC, Douleh DA, York PJ. Current Concepts Review: The Hip-Spine Challenge. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 103.19 (2021): 1852-1860.

  • Chavarria JC, Belton MD, Kleck CJ, Ou-Yang D. Acute Paraspinal Compartment Syndrome Following Non-Spinal Orthopedic Surgery. Orthopedics Today. 2021.

  • Quach V, Hanson J, Chavarria JC, Lindeque BG. Intraneural Ganglion Cysts of The Deep Peroneal Nerve Causing Rapidly Progressive Foot Drop. International Journal of Orthopaedics Research. 2021

  • Ahmed AS, Chavarria JC, Brenneman T, Johnson K, Antonsen EL, Rosenfeld SB. Osteogenic Induction of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Cold Atmospheric Argon Plasma. Plasma Medicine., 6.2 (2016)

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