Highlands County patients
no longer have to
travel hours for advanced spine care.

Most Highlands County referrals go to Tampa or Orlando because those are the large regional medical centers familiar to local physicians. But Fort Myers is 75 minutes south on US-27 — significantly closer — and the procedures available there include options that large academic centers in Tampa and Orlando may not offer, or may offer differently. TOPS for spondylolisthesis, minimally invasive multi-level laminectomy without fusion, and cervical and lumbar disc replacement all require specific fellowship training not universally available even in large-city centers. A telemedicine consultation from Sebring is a straightforward way to find out whether any of these apply to your case before committing to any drive in any direction.

Not necessarily — and the answer depends entirely on your specific diagnosis and imaging. For Grade I spondylolisthesis, TOPS is an FDA-proven alternative with 77% vs 24% overall success versus fusion at 2 years. For stable Grade I 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 instead of fusing. The first step is a consultation — or a telemedicine second opinion from Sebring — to find out which of these options applies to your anatomy.

Yes — and for most Highlands County patients this is the right way to start. Upload your MRI and prior reports, schedule a video consultation, and get a real assessment of your diagnosis, options, and what Dr. Katsevman would recommend — from home. If the conversation confirms a less invasive option is available, the drive to Fort Myers or Naples becomes the clear next step. Most patients who start with telemedicine make one in-person trip, either for a pre-surgical consultation or directly for surgery, and return home the same day.

Consultations are available at both the Fort Myers office (~75 min from Sebring) and the Naples office (~90 min). Surgery is performed at hospital facilities in Naples, which are equipped with robotics and navigation for fusion cases, intraoperative CT for SI joint fusion, and neuromonitoring for all cervical procedures. Most procedures are same-day discharge — Sebring and Avon Park patients typically arrive the morning of surgery and return home the same evening. Some prefer to arrange an overnight stay in the Naples area, which is comfortable and practical for the return drive.

Yes — most major insurance plans are accepted, including Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, and others. Highlands County patients are welcome at both the Fort Myers and Naples offices. The team will verify your benefits before your appointment and manage prior authorization requirements. Contact Fort Myers at (239) 437-1121 or Naples at (239) 649-1662 to confirm your coverage before scheduling.