The drive is 45 minutes.
The difference is everything.

For many patients — yes, significantly. The honest reason is that the surgical options available at this practice simply do not exist locally in Charlotte County. TOPS motion-preserving surgery for spondylolisthesis, minimally invasive tubular laminectomy without fusion, cervical and lumbar disc replacement, and the 3R Discectomy with Barricaid annular closure all require specific fellowship training and implant certification. If none of these were offered locally and you were told you need fusion, the 45-minute drive may be what stands between you and hardware you didn’t need. Many patients who make this drive leave with a fundamentally different surgical plan than what they were offered closer to home.

The appointment is not rushed. Whether you see Dr. Katsevman directly or a member of his clinical team for an initial visit, imaging is reviewed carefully, options are explained clearly, and questions are answered. For complex surgical cases or second opinions where imaging is already available, Dr. Katsevman reviews the case and is involved in the treatment planning. The 5-star reviews on Google, Healthgrades, and WebMD consistently describe the same experience — time, attention, and genuine care from the practice. Read the reviews at floridaspinesurgeon.org/reviews.

Possibly — and it depends entirely on your specific diagnosis, imaging, and anatomy. For Grade I spondylolisthesis with spinal stenosis, the TOPS System is an FDA-proven alternative to fusion with dramatically better clinical outcomes. For stable Grade I spondylolisthesis without true instability, minimally invasive laminectomy without fusion can relieve the nerve compression without hardware. For degenerative disc disease at one or two levels, lumbar disc replacement may preserve motion instead of fusing. The first step is a consultation where Dr. Katsevman reviews your specific imaging and tells you honestly which options apply to your anatomy and which don’t.

Yes — and many patients prefer this. Upload your MRI images before the appointment, and Dr. Katsevman will review them during a video call from your home in Port Charlotte or Punta Gorda. You will get a real answer about your diagnosis, what the options are, and what Dr. Katsevman would recommend — without making the drive until you have decided to proceed. For patients who are not yet certain whether they want surgery, or who want to understand the options before committing to a visit, telemedicine is an excellent first step. Most patients who start with telemedicine follow up in person within a week or two.

Dr. Katsevman works with most major insurance plans — including Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, and others. Charlotte County patients are welcome. Our team will verify your specific benefits before any appointment and walk you through prior authorization requirements where applicable. We also work with out-of-network arrangements and GAP exception requests. The goal is to make access to this level of care as straightforward as possible for patients making the drive from Charlotte County.