Spine Surgery for Ohio Patients · Naples & Fort Myers FL · Fellowship-Trained Neurosurgeon
Cleveland Clinic is exceptional.
But TOPS and disc replacement
are not on their menu.
Ohio has world-class spine care. What most Ohio spine centers — including academic powerhouses like Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State, and University Hospitals — cannot offer is the full technology stack: TOPS motion-preserving surgery, cervical and lumbar disc replacement, Barricaid annular closure, and custom 3D-printed implants. And at every academic center, residents participate in surgery. In Naples, Florida, Dr. Katsevman performs every case personally. Telemedicine from Ohio. Surgery during your Florida winter stay — or a dedicated trip.
"Cleveland Clinic and Ohio State are among the finest medical institutions in the world. Their spine surgeons are excellent. What they don't offer is TOPS, which produced 77% clinical success vs. 24% for fusion in the FDA trial — because TOPS requires specific certification that most academic programs don't pursue. That gap is real, and it matters for the patient who qualifies."
Dr. G. Katsevman, MD · Neurosurgeon & Spine SurgeonThe honest comparison
What Ohio spine centers offer —
and what they don’t
This is not a criticism of Ohio spine care. Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State Wexner, University Hospitals, and OhioHealth are genuinely excellent systems that produce outstanding outcomes for standard procedures. The gap is specific and structural — it exists because certain technologies require certifications and training that most academic programs simply haven’t pursued.
Excellent standard spine surgeryACDF, lumbar fusion, standard discectomy, laminectomy — performed at high volume with strong outcomes data.
TOPS not availableThe motion-preserving alternative to fusion for spondylolisthesis — 77% vs. 24% over fusion — is not offered. The certification and training required for TOPS have not been pursued at Ohio academic programs.
Disc replacement rarely offeredCervical and lumbar disc replacement requires specific device certification. Most Ohio spine surgeons perform fusion as the default. The 5× lower reoperation rate of disc replacement is rarely discussed with patients.
Barricaid not used routinelyAnnular closure that reduces reherniation by 81% is not part of the standard Ohio discectomy. The annular defect is left open.
Residents and fellows participate in surgeryAt every Ohio academic medical center, residents and fellows perform portions of surgeries under attending supervision. This is how physicians are trained — but it is not what patients always assume.
Wait times of weeks to monthsAcademic spine programs have significant wait times for both consultation and surgery scheduling.
TOPS — official surgeon locator77% clinical success vs. 24% for fusion at 2 years in FDA RCT. Motion preserved. No cage, no bone graft. 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. Patients recommended fusion who are disc replacement candidates are told.
Barricaid on every eligible discectomy81% fewer reherniations. The most common reason discectomy fails is the annular defect left behind — Barricaid addresses it at the time of surgery.
Dr. Katsevman performs every case personallyNo residents. No fellows. No exceptions. Incision to closure — the same surgeon who evaluated you.
Telemedicine from Ohio — no travel for consultationUpload your MRI and records. Dr. Katsevman reviews personally. Full evaluation in your first appointment — from your home in Cleveland, Columbus, or Cincinnati.
Surgery around your scheduleNo months-long wait list. Surgery planned when it works for you — during your Florida winter stay or a dedicated trip.
The technology difference
What’s available here
that most Ohio centers 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, no permanent rigid construct. Same-day discharge. Dr. Katsevman on 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. Most Ohio spine surgeons are not certified for these devices — fusion is recommended by default for patients who could benefit from disc replacement.
5× lower reoperation · FDA IDEAnnular closure device seals the disc defect after discectomy. 81% reduction in reherniation risk. The most common reason patients return with the same leg pain after discectomy is the open annular defect. Barricaid addresses it. Not standard in Ohio practice.
81% fewer reherniationsEvery fusion cage manufactured from the patient’s specific vertebral anatomy. Perfect endplate contact. Patient-specific lordosis. Porous titanium for bone ingrowth. Planned from EOS full-spine standing imaging. Not available at Ohio academic centers.
Continuous SSEP, MEP, and EMG on every fusion case at every level. Dedicated neurophysiologist monitors in real time. Any change triggers immediate alert before injury becomes permanent. Not universal even at major Ohio centers.
Platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow aspirate concentrate harvested intraoperatively. Applied to disc space, epidural space, or fusion cage. Autologous — from your own body. No additional needle sticks. Not standard in Ohio spine practice.
How it works for Ohio patients
From Ohio to Naples —
the practical path
Upload your MRI, X-rays, and any prior specialist reports before your appointment. Dr. Katsevman reviews all imaging personally. The consultation covers your diagnosis, whether it is correct, what all your options are — including the ones that may not have been presented locally — and which procedure is right for your anatomy. Most Ohio patients find this is the most thorough spine evaluation they have had.
If surgery is appropriate, pre-operative requirements are coordinated — most can be completed in Ohio before you travel. Full transparent cash-pay pricing provided before any commitment: surgical fee, facility fee, anesthesia — no surprises. Surgery scheduled when it works for you.
Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) to RSW Fort Myers: approximately 2.5 hours direct. Columbus (CMH) and Cincinnati (CVG) connect through Charlotte, Atlanta, or Tampa — total travel under 4 hours. RSW is 30 minutes from both the Naples and Fort Myers 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 Ohio — no return trip to Florida required for routine follow-up. Your Ohio spine specialist or primary physician receives a full operative report. If you are a snowbird already in Southwest Florida for the winter, recovery happens here — at your winter address, with the Gulf beaches a short drive away, rather than at home in an Ohio winter.
Questions from Ohio patients
What Ohio patients ask
before making the trip
I was recommended ACDF at Cleveland Clinic. Should I consider disc replacement? +
If you have single or two-level cervical disc disease without significant instability, you may be an appropriate candidate for cervical disc replacement rather than ACDF — and the data strongly favors disc replacement when both are technically feasible. The ProDisc-C FDA IDE trial showed a 5-fold lower reoperation rate with disc replacement vs. ACDF at 5 years (2.9% vs. 14.5%). The reason disc replacement was likely not offered is straightforward: Cleveland Clinic spine surgeons are not certified for Simplify® or ProDisc-C®. A telemedicine second opinion from a surgeon who performs both — and will recommend whichever is better for your anatomy — is the appropriate step before committing to ACDF.
I was told I need lumbar fusion for spondylolisthesis. What is TOPS? +
TOPS (Total Posterior Segment replacement) is an FDA Breakthrough Device for Grade I spondylolisthesis with stenosis — the diagnosis that almost universally leads to a fusion recommendation in Ohio. TOPS stabilizes the vertebral slip and decompresses the spinal canal while preserving controlled segmental motion. In the FDA randomized controlled trial, TOPS achieved 77% overall clinical success versus 24% for fusion at 2 years. Ohio academic centers do not offer TOPS because it requires specific certification and training that most programs have not pursued. If you have Grade I spondylolisthesis and have been recommended fusion in Ohio, a telemedicine consultation to determine whether TOPS applies to your anatomy is worth having before consenting to fusion.
Does my Ohio insurance cover surgery in Florida? +
Most major Ohio insurance plans — Medical Mutual, Anthem, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna — cover out-of-state care for services not available locally. TOPS and certain disc replacement procedures may qualify as not locally available, depending on your plan. The practice provides full documentation to support insurance claims. For patients whose insurance requires in-network providers, cash-pay pricing is available with full cost transparency before any commitment. Many Ohio patients find that the combination of technology access, no-residents care, and the Florida recovery period justifies out-of-pocket cost even when insurance coverage is partial.
I spend winters in Naples. Can I just have surgery during my winter stay? +
Yes — and this is one of the most practical arrangements for Ohio snowbirds. Start with a telemedicine consultation from Ohio 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 happens at your Naples winter address rather than in Ohio. Telemedicine follow-up after you return to Ohio in the spring. This arrangement is specifically designed for patients who are already making the trip — the surgery becomes part of the winter stay rather than a separate dedicated trip.
"Ohio patients often come to me after being on a Cleveland Clinic or Ohio State wait list for months — told they need fusion — and discovering for the first time that TOPS or disc replacement exists and may be better for their anatomy. The conversation should have happened before the wait list. That’s what the telemedicine consultation is for."
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 · 81% fewer reherniations
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
Ohio Patients · Telemedicine Available · Surgery in Naples & Fort Myers FL
Before you commit to fusion
in Ohio — 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 trip to Naples is worth making. For most Ohio patients who qualify, it is.
6101 Pine Ridge Road #101, Naples, FL 34119
Fort Myers, FL 33919
Upload imaging before your appointment