Spine Surgery for Illinois Patients · Naples & Fort Myers FL · Fellowship-Trained Neurosurgeon
Northwestern is world-class.
TOPS and disc replacement
are not part of the program.
Illinois has outstanding spine care at Northwestern, Rush, Loyola, and University of Chicago. What these academic programs cannot offer is the full technology stack: TOPS motion-preserving surgery for spondylolisthesis, cervical and lumbar disc replacement, Barricaid annular closure, and custom 3D-printed implants. At every Illinois academic center, residents participate in surgery. In Naples, Florida, Dr. Katsevman performs every case personally. Telemedicine from Chicago or anywhere in Illinois. Surgery during your Florida winter stay.
"Northwestern Medicine and Rush are among the finest academic medical centers in the country. Their spine programs are excellent. TOPS is not offered there. Disc replacement is rarely discussed. And every case involves resident and fellow participation — which is how surgeons are trained, not necessarily what patients expect when they choose a name-brand institution."
Dr. G. Katsevman, MD · Neurosurgeon & Spine SurgeonThe honest comparison
What Illinois spine centers offer —
and what they don’t
Northwestern Feinberg, Rush University Medical Center, Loyola, and University of Chicago are excellent institutions. The gap is specific — certain technologies require certifications that most academic programs haven’t pursued, and the academic training model means residents participate in surgery at every one of them.
Excellent standard procedures — ACDF, lumbar fusion, discectomyHigh-volume academic programs with strong outcomes for standard spine surgery. This is not a criticism of the quality of care.
TOPS not availableThe FDA Breakthrough Device for spondylolisthesis — 77% vs. 24% over fusion — requires specific certification not pursued at Illinois academic programs. Fusion is the default recommendation for every spondylolisthesis patient.
Disc replacement rarely offeredDevice certification requirements mean most Illinois spine surgeons recommend ACDF or lumbar fusion when disc replacement would be superior. Patients who qualify are rarely told.
Barricaid not standardThe 81% reherniation reduction of Barricaid annular closure is not part of standard Illinois discectomy. The defect is left open.
Residents participate in every surgeryNorthwestern, Rush, and Loyola are teaching hospitals. Residents and fellows perform significant portions of procedures under supervision. This is the model — but not always what patients assume.
TOPS — official surgeon locator certified77% clinical success vs. 24% fusion. Motion preserved. No bone graft. Same-day discharge. One of few certified TOPS surgeons in the US.
Disc replacement — Simplify®, ProDisc-C®, ProDisc-L®5× lower cervical reoperation rate. More than 3× less adjacent degeneration lumbar. Discussed with every appropriate candidate.
Barricaid on every eligible discectomyAnnular defect closed at surgery. 81% fewer reherniations. Routine — not an upgrade.
Dr. Katsevman performs every case personallyNo residents. No fellows. No exceptions. You chose the surgeon — the surgeon operates.
Telemedicine from Illinois — no travel for consultationUpload your imaging. Dr. Katsevman reviews personally. Full evaluation from your Chicago home.
Technology
What’s available here
that most Illinois centers don’t offer
77% vs 24% over fusion in FDA RCT. Grade I spondylolisthesis with stenosis. Motion preserved. No cage, no bone graft. Same-day discharge.
77% vs 24% · FDA RCT5× lower cervical reoperation rate vs. ACDF at 5 years. More than 3× less adjacent degeneration lumbar. Certified for all three devices.
5× lower reoperation · FDA IDEAnnular closure at surgery. 81% fewer reherniations in eligible patients. Sub-quarter-inch incision. Same-day discharge.
81% fewer reherniationsManufactured from your CT scan. Perfect endplate contact. Patient-specific lordosis. EOS full-spine standing alignment planning. Not available at Illinois academic centers.
Continuous SSEP, MEP, EMG. Dedicated neurophysiologist. Any change triggers immediate alert. Not universal at Illinois academic centers.
Platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow aspirate harvested while under anesthesia. Applied to disc space, epidural, or fusion cage. Not standard in Illinois spine practice.
How it works for Illinois patients
From Chicago to Naples —
the practical path
Upload your MRI, X-rays, and any prior reports before the appointment. Dr. Katsevman reviews all imaging personally. Full evaluation covering diagnosis, all treatment options — including options not offered locally — and which procedure is right for your anatomy. No travel required for this step.
Pre-operative requirements coordinated — most completable in Illinois. Full transparent cash-pay pricing provided before any commitment. Surgery scheduled when it works for you — during a Florida stay or a dedicated trip.
Chicago O’Hare to RSW Fort Myers: approximately 2.5 hours direct on American, United, Southwest, and others — multiple daily departures. Chicago Midway (MDW) also serves RSW. RSW is 30 minutes from both offices. In-person pre-op with Dr. Katsevman day before or morning of surgery. Most procedures: same-day discharge.
Post-operative follow-up by telemedicine from Illinois. Your Illinois physician receives a full operative report. If you have a Florida winter property, recovery happens there — on Gulf Coast time, not Chicago winter time.
Questions from Illinois patients
What Illinois patients ask
before making the trip
Northwestern recommended fusion for my spondylolisthesis. Is TOPS an option? +
Almost certainly yes, if you have Grade I spondylolisthesis with stenosis — which is the diagnosis that generates most spondylolisthesis fusion recommendations. TOPS is an FDA Breakthrough Device that stabilizes the vertebral slip while preserving controlled segmental motion. The FDA randomized controlled trial showed 77% overall clinical success with TOPS versus 24% for fusion at 2 years. Northwestern and Rush are excellent programs — they recommend fusion because they don’t offer TOPS. A telemedicine second opinion determines whether your anatomy is suitable for TOPS and whether the trip to Naples is worth making before you commit to a fusion that removes your motion permanently.
Rush recommended ACDF for my neck. Could disc replacement be better? +
For single or two-level cervical disc disease without significant instability, disc replacement is often the better option — and most patients at Illinois academic centers are never told this because their surgeons are not certified for Simplify® or ProDisc-C®. The ProDisc-C FDA IDE trial showed a 5-fold lower reoperation rate at 5 years vs. ACDF (2.9% vs. 14.5%). A telemedicine second opinion from a surgeon certified for both — who will recommend whichever is better for your specific anatomy — is the right step before committing to ACDF.
Does Illinois insurance cover surgery in Florida? +
Most Illinois insurance plans — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare — cover out-of-state care for services not available locally. TOPS and disc replacement may qualify as not locally available under your plan. Full documentation is provided for insurance claims. Cash-pay transparent pricing is available for those without coverage or with limited coverage. Contact your insurer about out-of-network or out-of-state coverage before the consultation — the practice team assists with documentation.
I spend part of the winter in Naples. Can I time surgery around my Florida stay? +
Yes — this is the optimal arrangement. Start with a telemedicine consultation from Illinois before you leave. If surgery is appropriate, it is scheduled during your Florida stay. Most procedures are same-day or next-day discharge. Recovery at your Naples address. Telemedicine follow-up after returning to Illinois. Chicago snowbirds in particular — with 2.5-hour direct service between ORD and RSW — find this a very practical arrangement.
"Chicago patients often arrive having been on a Northwestern or Rush wait list for months, told they need fusion, and hearing about TOPS or disc replacement for the first time. The technology isn’t secret — it’s just not available there. That gap has a straightforward solution: a telemedicine call before the decision is made."
Gennadiy (Gene) A. Katsevman, MD
Neurosurgeon & Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeon · Naples & Fort Myers FL
Official surgeon locator: TOPS™, Simplify®, ProDisc-C®, ProDisc-L®
Barricaid® on every eligible discectomy · aprevo® 3D-printed custom cages
EOS imaging · Robotic navigation · Intraoperative CT · Neuromonitoring every fusion
No residents · Dr. Katsevman performs every case personally
Fellowship — Barrow Neurological Institute · 30+ publications
Naples Top Doctor 2024, 2025, 2026
Naples: 6101 Pine Ridge Road #101 · (239) 649-1662
Fort Myers: 8380 Riverwalk Park Blvd #320 · (239) 437-1121
Illinois Patients · Telemedicine Available · Surgery in Naples & Fort Myers FL
Before you commit to fusion
in Chicago — hear all the options.
Upload your MRI before the telemedicine appointment. Dr. Katsevman reviews everything personally. You will know whether TOPS, disc replacement, or minimally invasive decompression is right for your anatomy — and whether the 2.5-hour flight to Naples is worth making.
6101 Pine Ridge Road #101, Naples, FL 34119
Fort Myers, FL 33919
Upload imaging before your appointment