Spine Surgery for Michigan Patients · Naples & Fort Myers FL · Fellowship-Trained Neurosurgeon
Michigan Medicine is exceptional.
TOPS and disc replacement
are not in the program.
Michigan has outstanding spine care at University of Michigan Michigan Medicine, Henry Ford Health, Beaumont Health, and Spectrum Health. What these academic programs cannot offer is the full technology stack: TOPS motion-preserving surgery, cervical and lumbar disc replacement, Barricaid annular closure, and custom 3D-printed implants. At every Michigan academic center, residents participate in surgery. In Naples, Florida, Dr. Katsevman performs every case personally. Telemedicine from Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, or anywhere in Michigan. Surgery during your Florida winter stay.
"Michigan Medicine and Henry Ford are genuinely excellent medical institutions. Their spine surgeons are superb. What they don’t offer is TOPS — which produced 77% clinical success vs. 24% for fusion in the FDA randomized trial — because TOPS requires specific certification that most academic programs simply haven’t pursued. That gap is real, and it matters to the patient who qualifies."
Dr. G. Katsevman, MD · Neurosurgeon & Spine SurgeonThe honest comparison
What Michigan spine centers offer —
and what they don’t
University of Michigan Michigan Medicine, Henry Ford Health, Beaumont Health, and Spectrum Health are strong institutions with excellent spine surgeons. The gap is specific and structural — certain technologies require certifications that most academic programs haven’t pursued, and the teaching hospital model means residents participate in surgery at every Michigan academic center. This is not a criticism. It is a fact worth knowing.
Michigan Medicine · Henry Ford Health
Beaumont · Spectrum Health
Excellent standard spine surgeryACDF, lumbar fusion, discectomy, laminectomy — high-volume programs with strong outcomes at Michigan academic centers. The quality of care is not the issue.
TOPS not availableThe FDA Breakthrough Device for spondylolisthesis — 77% vs. 24% over fusion in the FDA RCT — is not offered at Michigan Medicine, Henry Ford, Beaumont, or Spectrum Health. Certification has not been pursued at Michigan academic programs.
Disc replacement rarely offeredMost Michigan spine surgeons recommend fusion by default because device certifications for Simplify®, ProDisc-C®, and ProDisc-L® are not standard at Michigan academic programs. The 5× lower reoperation rate is rarely discussed with patients.
Barricaid not standardThe 81% reherniation reduction of Barricaid annular closure is not part of standard Michigan discectomy. The annular defect that causes recurrence is left open at surgery.
Residents and fellows participate in every surgeryMichigan Medicine, Henry Ford, and Beaumont are all teaching hospitals. Residents perform portions of surgeries under supervision at every one of them — this is how surgeons are trained, not always what patients assume.
Wait times of weeks to monthsAcademic spine programs carry significant scheduling delays — often weeks to months from consultation to surgery, which matters for a patient already managing pain.
This practice in Naples — what’s different
TOPS — official surgeon locator certified77% clinical success vs. 24% fusion at 2 years in FDA RCT. Motion preserved. No cage, no bone graft, no permanent rigid construct. Same-day discharge. One of a limited number of certified TOPS surgeons in the US.
Disc replacement — certified for all three devicesSimplify®, ProDisc-C®, ProDisc-L®. 5× lower cervical reoperation rate. More than 3× less adjacent degeneration lumbar. Every appropriate candidate is told about disc replacement — not offered fusion by default.
Barricaid on every eligible discectomy81% fewer reherniations. The annular defect is closed at the time of surgery — standard of care here, not available at Michigan academic programs.
Dr. Katsevman performs every case personallyNo residents. No fellows. No exceptions — not in a single case. The surgeon who reviewed your MRI is the surgeon who operates, from first incision to final closure.
Telemedicine from Michigan — no travel for consultationUpload your imaging from Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, or anywhere in Michigan. Dr. Katsevman reviews personally. Full evaluation before any commitment.
Surgery scheduled around your timelineNo months-long wait. Surgery planned when it works for you — during your Florida winter stay or a dedicated trip. Michigan is the second-largest feeder state for Southwest Florida snowbirds.
The technology difference
What’s available here
that Michigan Medicine, Henry Ford, and Beaumont don’t offer
77% vs 24% over fusion in FDA RCT. Grade I spondylolisthesis with stenosis. Stabilizes the slip. Preserves motion. No cage, no bone graft. Same-day discharge. Official TOPS surgeon locator.
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. Most Michigan surgeons have no disc replacement certification.
5× lower reoperation · FDA IDEAnnular closure at surgery. 81% fewer reherniations in eligible patients. Sub-quarter-inch incision. Same-day discharge.
81% fewer reherniationsEvery fusion cage manufactured from the patient’s own CT scan. Perfect endplate contact. Patient-specific lordosis. EOS full-spine standing alignment planning.
Continuous SSEP, MEP, EMG. Dedicated neurophysiologist in real time. Any signal change triggers immediate alert. Not universal at Michigan academic centers.
Platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow aspirate harvested intraoperatively. Applied to disc space, epidural, or fusion cage. No additional needle sticks. Not standard at Michigan spine programs.
How it works for Michigan patients
From Michigan to Naples —
the practical path
Upload your MRI, X-rays, and any prior specialist reports. Dr. Katsevman reviews all imaging personally. Full evaluation covering your diagnosis, whether it is correct, all treatment options — including options not offered locally — and which procedure is right for your anatomy. Most Michigan patients find this is the most thorough spine evaluation they have had.
Pre-operative requirements coordinated — most completable in Michigan before you travel. Full transparent cash-pay pricing before any commitment: surgical fee, facility fee, anesthesia — no surprises. Surgery scheduled when it works for you.
Detroit Metro (DTW) to RSW Fort Myers: approximately 2.5 hours direct on American, Delta, and Southwest. Grand Rapids (GRR) and Flint (FNT) connect through Charlotte or Atlanta — total travel under 4 hours. RSW is 30 minutes from both offices. In-person pre-op visit with Dr. Katsevman the day before or morning of surgery. Most procedures: same-day discharge.
Post-operative follow-up by telemedicine from Michigan — no return trip to Florida for routine follow-up. Your Michigan physician receives a full operative report. If you are a snowbird already in Southwest Florida, recovery happens at your winter address rather than in Michigan.
Questions from Michigan patients
What Michigan patients ask
before making the trip
Michigan Medicine recommended fusion for my spondylolisthesis. Is TOPS an option? +
For Grade I spondylolisthesis with stenosis — which generates most spondylolisthesis fusion recommendations — TOPS is a genuine alternative. The FDA randomized controlled trial showed 77% overall clinical success with TOPS versus 24% for fusion at 2 years. Michigan Medicine is an excellent institution. TOPS is not offered there because the certification has not been pursued — not because the technology is experimental or unproven. A telemedicine second opinion determines whether your anatomy is suitable for TOPS before you commit to a fusion that permanently removes motion at that level.
Henry Ford or Beaumont recommended ACDF for my neck. Should I consider disc replacement? +
For single or two-level cervical disc disease without significant instability — which describes most ACDF candidates — disc replacement is often the superior long-term option. The ProDisc-C FDA IDE trial showed a 5-fold lower reoperation rate at 5 years versus ACDF (2.9% vs. 14.5%). Henry Ford and Beaumont surgeons are not certified for Simplify® or ProDisc-C®. A second opinion from a surgeon certified for both — who will recommend whichever is better for your anatomy — is the right step before committing to ACDF.
Does Michigan insurance cover surgery in Florida? +
Most major Michigan insurance plans — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Priority Health, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare — cover out-of-state care for services not available locally. TOPS and certain disc replacement procedures may qualify as not locally available under your plan. Full documentation is provided for insurance claims. Cash-pay pricing is available with full transparency before any commitment. Many Michigan patients find that the combination of technology access and no-residents surgical care justifies the trip even when coverage is partial.
I spend winters in Naples or Fort Myers. Can I time surgery during my Florida stay? +
Yes — Michigan is the second-largest feeder state for Southwest Florida snowbirds after Ohio, and this arrangement is ideal. Start with a telemedicine consultation from Michigan before your winter departure. If surgery is appropriate, it is scheduled during your Florida stay. Most procedures are same-day or next-day discharge. Recovery at your Naples or Fort Myers winter address rather than in Michigan. Telemedicine follow-up after you return to Michigan in the spring. The surgery becomes part of the winter stay rather than a separate dedicated trip.
Is this different from what I’d get at the Cleveland Clinic or Mayo Clinic? +
For TOPS and disc replacement — yes, meaningfully. Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic are two of the finest medical institutions in the world. Neither offers TOPS. Both are academic teaching hospitals where residents and fellows participate in surgery. Both recommend fusion by default for spondylolisthesis because their surgeons are not certified for TOPS. The technology gap is not unique to Michigan academic centers — it extends to most major academic medical programs nationally, regardless of reputation. The certification for TOPS, disc replacement, and Barricaid requires specific training that most academic programs simply haven’t pursued.
"Michigan patients — whether from Detroit, Ann Arbor, or Grand Rapids — almost always arrive having been told they need fusion. Michigan Medicine is an exceptional institution. It just doesn’t offer TOPS. That’s the gap. A telemedicine call before the decision is made costs nothing and can fundamentally change the conversation."
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® custom 3D-printed cages
EOS imaging · Robotic navigation · Intraoperative CT · Neuromonitoring every fusion
No residents · Dr. Katsevman performs every case personally
Fellowship — Barrow Neurological Institute under Dr. Juan Uribe
30+ peer-reviewed 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
Michigan Patients · Telemedicine Available · Surgery in Naples & Fort Myers FL
Before you commit to fusion
in Michigan — hear all the options.
Upload your MRI before the telemedicine appointment. Dr. Katsevman reviews everything personally. You will know whether TOPS, disc replacement, or a 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