Navigation
317-228-7000
Appointment Request

Zachary NaPier, M.D. is a board-certified, fellowship trained orthopedic spine surgeon.  He received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Dartmouth College before attending medical school at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.  He completed orthopedic surgery residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, one of the country’s top orthopedic and neurosurgical spine centers.  Dr. NaPier underwent advanced spine training at the Harvard Spine Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA.  Dr. NaPier built a successful community practice in Northern California prior to joining Indiana Spine Group.

Dr. NaPier has extensive training and experience with cutting edge minimally invasive and motion preserving surgical techniques that create less postoperative pain, decreased soft tissue injury and blood loss, and faster recovery times. He is also skilled in complex reconstruction of spinal deformities, degenerative conditions, and failed back syndrome. His practice involves comprehensive clinical and surgical care of adult and adolescent patients.

Dr. NaPier has a specific expertise in prone transpsoas lateral interbody fusion (PTP LIF) and has presented and published his techniques in addition to teaching other surgeons. He is also a prolific researcher, having authored or co-authored many clinical and basic science manuscripts, presentations, and textbook chapters in addition to receiving grants from organizations including the Cervical Spine Research Society and Scoliosis Research Society.

“My goal is to evaluate your condition, relieve your pain, and restore your function using the most effective, minimally invasive techniques available,” said Dr. NaPier. “I will help you to understand your back or neck symptoms and treatment options so that you can make informed decisions regarding your treatment.”

“I am honored by the trust you place in me and my recommendations for your care will be the same that I would make for a member of my own family.”

Dr. NaPier is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with his wife, who is also a physician in Indianapolis, and their son.  Indiana Spine Group is privileged to welcome Dr. NaPier’s world class experience to serve the residents of Indiana.

Dr. NaPier is seeing patients at our Lafayette, West Lafayette and Carmel offices. To schedule an appointment, please call (765) 450-0680.

You can also find out more information about Dr. NaPier at www.napierspine.com

Education

Medical School
George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C.

Residency
Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

Fellowship Training
Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

Certifications & Professional Memberships

American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
North American Spine Society
Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Publications, Books, Presentations

PUBLICATIONS
  • NaPier Z.  Prone Transpsoas Lateral Interbody Fusion (PTP LIF) with Anterior Docking: Preliminary Functional and Radiographic Outcomes.  North American Spine Society Journal.  December 2023. Link to article
  • Stephan S, Glaeser J, Tawackoli, W, Kanim L, Ju D, NaPier Z, Bae H, Sheyn D.  Optimization of a Rat Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Model for Low Back Pain.  The Spine Journal. September 2020.
  • Glaeser J, Tawackoli W, Ju D, Yang J, Kanim L, Salehi K, Yu V, Saidara E, Vit J, Khnkoyan Z, NaPier Z , Stone L, Bae H, Sheyn D.  Optimization of a Rat Lumbar IVD Degeneration Model for Low Back Pain.  Journal of Orthopaedic Research: Spine. June 2020.
  • Glaeser J, Salehi K, Kanim L, NaPier Z, Kropf M, Cuellar J, Perry T, Bae H, Sheyn D.  NF-KB Inhibitor, NEMO-binding Domain Peptide Attenuates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.  The Spine Journal.  May 2020.
  • NaPier Z, Kanim L, Arabi Y, Salehi K, Sears B, Perry M, Kim S, Sheyn D, Bae H, Glaeser J. Omega 3 Fatty Acids to Reduce Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.  Medical Science Monitor. December 2019.
  • NaPier Z, Kanim L, Nelson T, Salehi K, Glaeser J, Sheyn D, Metzger M.  The Impact of Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus on Bone Metabolism and Growth after Spinal Fusion.  The Spine Journal. November 2019.
  • Kang J, Glaeser J, Karamian B, Kanim L, NaPier Z, Koltsov J, Thio T, Salehi K, Bae H, Cheng I. The Effects of Varenicline on Lumbar Spinal Fusion in a Rat Model. The Spine Journal. August 2019.
  • Glaeser J, Salehi K, Kanim L, Sheyn D, NaPier Z, Behrens P, Garcia L, Cuellar J, Bae H.  Anti-Inflammatory Peptide Attenuates Edema and Promotes rhBMP-2-mediated Bone Formation in Spinal Fusion.  Tissue Engineering Part A. May 2018.
  • NaPier Z, Kanim L, Thordarson S, Kropf M, Cuellar J, Glaeser J, Bae H. Demineralized Bone Matrix Biology and Clinical Use. Seminars in Spine Surgery. April 2016.
  • Haines C, Napier Z, Roberts A, Boyle K, Yu W, O’Brien J. A Comparison of Urinary Tract and Surgical Site Infection Rates in Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion with and without Urinary Catheterization.  JSM Neurosurgery & Spine. April 2014.
  • Long S, Stern C, NaPier Z, Mandel B, Soltanian H, Bentz M, Rosen J, Hazen A.  Educational Efficacy of a procedural Surgical Simulator in Plastic Surgery: A Phase I Multicenter Study.  Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.  October 2013.
  • Oliker A, NaPier Z, Deluccia N, Qualter J, Sculli F, Smith B, Stern C, Flores R, Hazen A, McCarthy J. Step-based Cognitive Virtual Surgery Simulation: An Innovative Approach to Surgical Education. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics. January 2012.
  • Stern C, Oliker A, NaPier Z, Qualter J, Deluccia N, Sculli F, Long S, Rosen J, Hazen A. Integration of Surgical Simulation in Plastic Surgery Residency Training. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics. January 2012.
  • Qualter J, Sculli F, Oliker A, NaPier Z, Lee S, Garcia J, Frenkel S, Harnk V, Triola M. The BioDigital Human: A Web-Based 3D Platform for Medical Visualization and Education. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics. January 2012.
TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS
  • NaPier Z, Kang J, “Conflicts of Interest in Spine Surgery.” Benzel’s Spine Surgery, 5th Edition. Michael Steinmetz, Edward Benzel, Sigurd Berven. Textbook Chapter. 2022.
  • Garlich J, Moon C, NaPier Z,  “Sacropelvic Fixation”. Operative Techniques: Spine Surgery, 3rd Edition.  Alexander Vaccaro and Eli Baron. Textbook Chapter. 2018.
PODIUM PRESENTATIONS
  • NaPier, Z.  Prone Transpsoas (PTP) for Spinal Deformity.  Alphatec Spine Prone Transpsoas Summit. Carlsbad, CA 2023.
  • NaPier Z.  Prone Transpsoas (PTP) Lateral Interbody Fusion: Tips and Tricks for Successful Adoption.  Seattle Science Foundation S.T.E.D. Online Lecture Series.  Seattle, WA 2023.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbihDDRadOM&t=5s
  • Stephan S, Glaeser J, Tawackoli W, Ju D, Yang J, Kanim L, Salehi K, Yu V, Khnkouyan Z, NaPier Z, Bae H, Sheyn D.  Optimization of a Disc Degeneration Model in the Rat Lumbar Spine. (a) presented at Spine Summit, Las Vegas, NV 2020 (b) presented at North American Spine Society Annual Meeting, virtual, 2020.
  • Napier Z, Kanim L, Nelson T, Salehi K, Arabi Y, Glaeser J, Sheyn D, Metzger M.  The Effect of Insulin Dependent Diabetes on Bone Metabolism and Growth after Spinal Fusion.  Cedars Sinai 7th Annual Orthopaedic Resident and Fellow Research Day. Los Angeles, CA 2019.
  • Kang J, Glaeser J, Karamian B, Kanim L, Behn A, NaPier Z, Thio T, Salehi K, Bae H, Cheng I.  The Effects of Varenicline (Chantix) on Lumbar Spinal Fusion in a Rat Model.  North American Spine Society Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA 2018.
  • Glaeser J, Behrens P, Salehi K, Kanim L, Sheyn D, NaPier Z, Cuellar J, Bae H.  NF-κB Inhibitor Suppresses Edema and Promotes rhBMP-2-mediated Bone Formation in Spinal Fusion. Scoliosis Research Society Annual Meeting, Bologna, Italy 2018.
  • NaPier Z, Kanim L, Arabi Y, Salehi K, Kim S, Sheyn D, Bae H, Glaeser J.  Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplementation to Reduce Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.  Cervical Spine Research Society Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ 2018.
  • NaPier Z, Kanim L, Kim S, Glaeser J, Bae H.  Omega 3 Fatty Acids to Reduce Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: A Preliminary Report. Cedars Sinai 7th Annual Orthopaedic Resident and Fellow Research Day, Los Angeles, CA 2017.
  • Glaeser J, Salehi K, Kanim L, NaPier Z, Kropf M, Cuellar J, Sheyn D, and Bae H. Treatment with the NFkB Inhibitor Reduces Overloading-induced MMP Expression in Human Nucleus Pulposus cells. North American Spine Society Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL 2017.
  • Cyriac M, Ho A, Napier Z, Yu W, O’Brien J. Proximal Junctional Failure Following Posterior Spinal Fusion to the Lower Thoracic spine: the Effect of Cement Augmentation. (a) presented at International Meeting of Advanced Spine Techniques, Vancouver, BC 2013 (b) presented at the Hibbs Society, Scoliosis Research Society Annual Meeting, Anchorage, AK 2014.
  • NaPier, Z. Pandemic Response: Minimizing the Effects of a Lethal Influenza-Type Virus. Topics in Applied Mathematics: An Introduction to Complex Systems, Hanover, NH 2010.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
  • Glaeser J, Tawackoli W, Ju D, Yang J, Kanim L, Salehi K, Yu V, Khnkoyan Z, NaPier Z, Bae H, Sheyn D. Optimization of Disc Degeneration Model in Rat Lumbar Spine.  Orthopaedic Research Society Annual Meeting. Phoenix, Arizona, 2020.
  • Glaeser J, Behrens P, Salehi K, Kanim L, Sheyn D, NaPier Z, Cuellar J, Bae H.  NF-κB Inhibitor Suppresses Edema and Promotes rhBMP-2-mediated Bone Formation in Spinal Fusion. North American Spine Society Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA 2018.
  • Glaeser J, Salehi K, Kanim L, NaPier Z, Garcia L, Sheyn D, Cuellar J, Bae H. NEMO-binding Domain Peptide Suppresses rhBMP-2-induced Soft-tissue Inflammation in Rat. (1) Orthopaedic Research Society Southern California Regional Symposium: Orthopaedic Research: From Mechanism to Mechanics Los Angeles, CA 2017 (2) Orthopaedic Research Society Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA 2018.
  • Glaeser J, Salehi K, Kanim L, NaPier Z, Kropf M, Cuellar J, Perry T, Sheyn D, Bae H. Treatment with NEMO Binding Domain Peptide Reduces Loading-induced MMP Expression in Human Nucleus Pulposus Cells. (1) Orthopaedic Research Society Southern California Regional Symposium: Orthopaedic Research: From Mechanism to Mechanics. Los Angeles, CA 2017 (2) Orthopaedic Research Society Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA 2018.
  • NaPier Z, Kanim L, Kim S, Bae H, Glaeser J. Omega 3 Fatty Acids to Reduce Intervertebral Disc Degeneration. Orthopaedic Research Society Southern California Regional Symposium: Orthopaedic Research: From Mechanism to Mechanics. Los Angeles, CA 2017.
  • Long S, Stern C, NaPier Z, Rosen J, Soltanian H, Bentz M. Educational Efficacy of a Procedural Surgical Simulator in Plastic Surgery Residency Training : A Phase I Multi-Site Study. Plastic Surgery: The Meeting. San Diego, CA 2013.
  • Qualter J, Sculli F, Oliker A, NaPier Z, Lee S, Garcia J, Frenkel S, Harnk V, Triola M. The BioDigital Human: A Web-based 3D Platform for Medical Visualization and Education. Medicine Meets Virual Reality 19 / Nextmed, Newport Beach, CA 2012.