Lakeland patients have
more surgical options
than they may realize.

For many procedures — routine discectomy, standard cervical fusion, conservative management — Tampa is a perfectly good option. The reason Polk County patients make the drive south is specific: procedures that require fellowship training in minimally invasive techniques not universally available in any regional market. TOPS for Grade I spondylolisthesis, minimally invasive multi-level laminectomy without fusion, and cervical and lumbar disc replacement all require specific implant certification and technical training. A telemedicine consultation from Lakeland is a low-commitment way to find out whether any of these options apply to your specific case before committing to the drive.

Possibly — and it depends on your specific diagnosis, imaging, and anatomy. For Grade I spondylolisthesis, TOPS is an FDA-proven alternative to fusion with 77% vs 24% overall success at 2 years. For stable spondylolisthesis where the slip is not actively moving, minimally invasive laminectomy without fusion can relieve nerve compression without hardware. For disc disease at one or two levels, lumbar disc replacement may preserve motion rather than fusing. The first step is a consultation — or a telemedicine second opinion from Lakeland — to find out which options apply to your anatomy.

Yes — and for most Lakeland patients this is the right starting point. Upload your MRI and prior reports, schedule a video consultation, and get a real assessment of your imaging, diagnosis, and full range of options without leaving Polk County. If a less invasive option applies to your case, you will hear about it and understand why. Most patients who start with telemedicine make one in-person trip to Fort Myers or Naples within one to two weeks — either for a pre-surgical consultation or directly for surgery.

Surgery is performed at hospital facilities in Naples, equipped with robotics and navigation for fusion cases, intraoperative CT for SI joint fusion, and neuromonitoring for all cervical procedures. The Naples consultation office and surgical facilities are at the same address — Physicians Regional Medical Center, 6101 Pine Ridge Road #101. Most procedures are same-day discharge. Lakeland patients typically arrange an early-morning arrival, have surgery, recover for a few hours, and return home the same evening. Some prefer to stay one night locally before the drive back.

Yes — most major insurance plans are accepted, including Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, and others. Polk County patients are welcome. The team will verify your benefits before your appointment and manage prior authorization requirements. Out-of-network arrangements and GAP exception requests are also explored where applicable. Contact the Naples office at (239) 649-1662 or Fort Myers at (239) 437-1121 to confirm coverage.