Serving St. Petersburg, Clearwater & Pinellas County · Naples Office
No resident. No fellow.
One surgeon (Dr. Katsevman) —
before, during, and after.
St. Pete and Clearwater have strong local medical care and a sophisticated patient population. They also sit on a peninsula with large regional health systems where residents and fellows perform portions of surgery as part of training. At this practice there are no residents, no fellows, and no exceptions — Dr. Katsevman performs every surgery himself, start to finish, and sees every post-operative patient personally. Pinellas County patients make the 2.5-hour drive for that difference — and for advanced surgical options that require fellowship training not available everywhere.
"St. Pete and Clearwater patients are direct. They ask: who actually does the surgery? Will you personally see me after? The answer is yes to both — every time, without exception. That is simply how this practice is built."
Dr. G. Katsevman, MD · Neurosurgeon & Spine Surgeonevery surgery himself
via I-275 & I-75 South
start to finish
Doctor 2024, 2025, 2026
The difference that makes the drive worth it
Who actually does your surgery —
and who sees you after
Pinellas County is served by BayCare Health System, Johns Hopkins All Children’s, Bayfront Health, and HCA Florida Northside — respected institutions with capable spine surgeons. They are also part of larger health systems where the training model involves residents and fellows progressively performing portions of procedures under attending supervision. This is how surgeons are trained. It is not always what patients expect when they consent to surgery.
How surgery typically works at larger health systems
Resident and fellow involvement is built into the modelTeaching programs train the next generation of surgeons by having trainees assist with and progressively perform procedures under attending supervision. This is standard and expected at these institutions.
The attending may oversee multiple rooms simultaneouslyIn some settings, a supervising surgeon is responsible for more than one operating room at once, with a resident or fellow actively operating while the attending is available but elsewhere in the department.
Post-operative care is often resident-managedOvernight hospital care and immediate post-surgical monitoring are typically handled by resident teams, with attending review during formal rounds rather than direct individual attention from the operating surgeon.
Advanced motion-preserving options not always offeredTOPS, minimally invasive multi-level laminectomy without fusion, and disc replacement require specific fellowship training and implant certification not universally available across all systems.
How it works at this practice
No residents. No fellows. No exceptions.Dr. Katsevman performs 100% of every surgical procedure himself — every incision, every decompression, every screw, every closure. The surgeon you chose is the surgeon who operates, every time.
One surgeon. One room. Start to finish.Dr. Katsevman is present and operating from the first cut to the last suture. He does not step out. He does not hand off. Period.
Dr. Katsevman sees every post-operative patient personallyHospital visits in person if you stay overnight. Clinic follow-up with Dr. Katsevman himself. Not a covering team, not a mid-level provider.
Full spectrum of advanced surgical optionsTOPS, minimally invasive multi-level laminectomy, cervical and lumbar disc replacement — all available alongside ACDF, fusion, SI joint fusion, and 3R Discectomy.
Why Pinellas County patients make the 2.5-hour drive
Two things that aren’t available everywhere —
together, in one practice
St. Pete and Clearwater patients who make the drive to Naples typically come for one of two reasons — or both. The first is who performs the surgery. The second is what surgical options are on the table. Most practices offer one or the other. This one offers both.
The surgeon who consults you operates on you
Every incision, every decompression, every screw, every closure — Dr. Katsevman, start to finish. No residents. No fellows. The person you meet in the consultation room is the person in the operating room. This is confirmed explicitly on the practice website and is the defining structural feature of this practice.
Procedures not universally available in Pinellas County
TOPS for Grade I spondylolisthesis — 77% vs 24% success over fusion at 2 years. Minimally invasive multi-level laminectomy without fusion — same-day, quarter-inch incision. Cervical and lumbar disc replacement — surgeon locator listed for all three devices. Fellowship training and implant certification required. Not available at every system.
The same surgeon sees you after surgery
Hospital visits in person if you stay overnight. Clinic follow-up with Dr. Katsevman himself at every post-operative appointment. The continuity from first consultation through full recovery runs through one physician. Not a team. Not a covering provider. The same surgeon throughout.
Telemedicine first — one trip south if it makes sense
Most St. Pete and Clearwater patients start with a telemedicine consultation from home. Upload your MRI, discuss your case, find out whether the drive makes sense for your specific anatomy and diagnosis. Most patients who start with telemedicine make one in-person trip to Naples — either for a pre-surgical consultation or directly for surgery.
What requires specific fellowship training
Advanced options available 2.5 hours south
Beyond the personalized surgical care model, several procedures available here require specific implant certification and fellowship training not universally available across Pinellas County health systems.
What St. Pete & Clearwater patients find here that may not be offered locally
TOPS motion-preserving surgery — FDA Breakthrough Device for Grade I spondylolisthesis with stenosis. 77% vs 24% overall clinical success versus fusion at 2 years. No cage, no rods, no permanent fusion. Motion preserved. One of very few surgeons in Florida on the official Premia Spine surgeon locator.
Minimally invasive tubular laminectomy — up to 3 levels through a quarter-inch incision. Posterior ligaments preserved. Same-day discharge. No restrictions at 6 weeks. No fusion required for many patients told it is necessary.
Cervical and lumbar disc replacement — Simplify®, ProDisc-C®, and ProDisc-L®. Motion preserved. Fewer long-term reoperations versus fusion. Dr. Katsevman is on the official surgeon locator for all three.
Surgery at Naples facilities with robotics and navigation for every fusion, intraoperative CT for SI joint fusion, and neuromonitoring for every cervical procedure.
Surgical procedures available to Pinellas County patients
Advanced procedures —
performed entirely by Dr. Katsevman
Consultations in Naples (~2.5 hrs from St. Pete) or Fort Myers (~90 min from Tampa interchange). Surgery at advanced Naples hospital facilities. Telemedicine to start from home.
FDA Breakthrough Device. 77% vs 24% success vs. fusion at 2 years. No cage, no rods, no permanent fusion. Dr. K on official Premia Spine surgeon locator.
Learn more → 02 Stenosis · Spondylolisthesis Minimally Invasive LaminectomyQuarter-inch incision. Up to 3 levels. Posterior ligaments preserved. Same-day discharge. No restrictions at 6 weeks.
Learn more → 03 Herniated disc · Sciatica 3R Discectomy™Remove (METRx <¼") · Replace (Barricaid® 81% fewer reherniations) · Regenerate (PRP). Same-day discharge.
Learn more → 04 Neck pain · Arm pain Cervical Disc ReplacementSimplify® & ProDisc-C® — surgeon locator listed. Motion preserved. 4× fewer reoperations at 7 years vs. fusion.
Learn more → 05 Lower back · DDD Lumbar Disc ReplacementProDisc-L® — 300,000+ implants, 35+ years data. Nearly 4× less adjacent degeneration vs. fusion. Motion preserved.
Learn more → 06 Myelopathy · Radiculopathy ACDF Cervical FusionLipstick-sized incision. No muscles cut. Neuromonitoring every case. Prevertebral steroids. Performed entirely by Dr. Katsevman.
Learn more → 07 When fusion is truly needed Lumbar FusionEOS EDGE alignment planning. Robotics and navigation every case. BMAC biologic augmentation. aprevo® custom 3D-printed implants.
Learn more → 08 Chronic buttock & pelvic pain SI Joint FusionTORQ lateral screws. Intraoperative CT confirms placement before waking. 3cm incision. Same-day discharge. PRP option.
Learn more → 09 Before you commit locally Second OpinionFind out whether a less invasive option exists and who will actually perform your surgery. Telemedicine available from St. Pete or Clearwater.
Learn more →Getting here from St. Pete & Clearwater
I-275 South to I-75 South —
the peninsula to Naples in 2.5 hours
From St. Pete or Clearwater, I-275 South crosses Tampa Bay and connects to I-75 South — then it is a straight, uninterrupted highway drive through Sarasota and Charlotte County into Naples. No complicated routing after the Tampa interchange. 2.5 hours. Most patients start with telemedicine from home, then make one trip south when the plan is confirmed.
Naples Office
Physicians Regional Medical Center, 1st Floor
6101 Pine Ridge Road #101
Naples, FL 34119
~2.5 hours from St. Pete
~2.5 hours from Clearwater
via I-275 South & I-75 South
Get Directions →
Surgery location: Surgery is performed at Naples hospital facilities — same address as the Naples consultation office. Robotics and navigation for fusion, intraoperative CT for SI joint fusion, neuromonitoring for all cervical procedures. Most procedures are same-day discharge.
Overnight stay: If you stay overnight, Dr. Katsevman visits you personally in the hospital. Many St. Pete and Clearwater patients arrange one night in Naples and return home the following morning via I-75 North.
Driving from St. Pete & Clearwater
Also serving: Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Largo, Gulfport, and all of Pinellas County. Tampa patients are also served — see the Tampa spine surgeon page.
Questions from St. Pete & Clearwater patients
Is the 2.5-hour drive worth it?
The drive from St. Pete to Naples is 2.5 hours. Why is that worth it? +
It depends entirely on what you need. For routine spine surgery available at any capable hospital, it is not worth it. For specific things it may be: if you have been recommended fusion for Grade I spondylolisthesis and TOPS is a realistic alternative, if you have cervical or lumbar disc disease where disc replacement was not offered, or if you want the certainty that the surgeon you consult is the surgeon who will perform every step of your operation and see you after. A telemedicine consultation from St. Pete takes 30 minutes and answers definitively whether the drive makes sense for your specific case. Most patients who start with telemedicine either confirm the drive is worth it or are reassured that what is available locally is appropriate. Both outcomes are useful.
Does Dr. Katsevman really perform the entire surgery himself? +
Yes — this is explicitly confirmed on the practice website and is the defining structural feature of this practice. There are no residents, no fellows, and no trainees. Dr. Katsevman performs 100% of every surgical procedure himself, including skin closure. At BayCare, HCA Florida, and the other large systems serving Pinellas County, the training model involves residents and fellows progressively performing portions of procedures. At this practice, the surgeon you chose is the surgeon who operates, from first incision to final closure, every time.
I have been recommended spinal fusion in the St. Pete area. Is there an alternative? +
Possibly — depending on your specific diagnosis, anatomy, 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 spondylolisthesis 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. A telemedicine consultation from St. Pete or Clearwater — with your MRI and prior recommendations — is the most efficient way to find out whether any of these apply to your specific case.
Can I start with telemedicine from St. Pete or Clearwater? +
Yes — and for most Pinellas County patients this is the right starting point given the drive. Upload your MRI and any prior reports, schedule a video consultation, and get a genuine assessment of your imaging, diagnosis, and the full range of options from home. If the conversation confirms a less invasive option or a different surgical model applies to your case, the drive to Naples becomes the clear next step. Most patients who start with telemedicine make one in-person trip within one to two weeks.
Does Dr. Katsevman accept insurance for Pinellas County patients? +
Yes — most major insurance plans are accepted, including Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, and others. Pinellas County patients are welcome. Contact Naples at (239) 649-1662 to confirm your coverage and have the team verify benefits before your appointment.
Learn more about the practice
"The 2.5-hour drive from St. Pete and Clearwater is the longest any of our patients make. The ones who make it have done their research — they know what they want and why they drove. That combination of preparation and determination consistently produces the best surgical outcomes."
Gennadiy (Gene) A. Katsevman, MD
Neurosurgeon & Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeon
No residents · No trainees · Dr. Katsevman performs every surgery start to finish, including skin closure
Dr. Katsevman sees every post-operative patient personally — in hospital and in clinic
Naples office ~2.5 hrs from St. Pete via I-275 South & I-75 South · (239) 649-1662
Fort Myers office ~90 min from Tampa interchange · (239) 437-1121
Surgery at Naples hospital facilities — robotics & navigation, intraoperative CT, neuromonitoring
Fellowship-trained at Barrow Neurological Institute under Dr. Juan Uribe
TOPS · Simplify® · ProDisc-C® & ProDisc-L® — official surgeon locator listings
30+ peer-reviewed publications · Naples Top Doctor 2024, 2025, 2026
5-star Google · Healthgrades Choice · WebMD Preferred · U.S. News Patients’ Top Choice
Full background, training & publications → floridaspinesurgeon.org/about
St. Petersburg & Clearwater, FL
The surgeon you choose
is the surgeon who operates —
every step, every time.
Start with telemedicine from St. Pete or Clearwater — find out in 30 minutes whether the drive is worth it for your specific case. Most patients who start with telemedicine make one in-person trip to Naples and leave with a clear plan.
6101 Pine Ridge Road #101, Naples, FL 34119
Fort Myers, FL 33919
Upload your MRI & find out