Spine Surgeon in Tampa? Why So Many of My Patients Travel to Naples Instead

Searching “Spine Surgeon Tampa”? Here’s the Honest Starting Point

Tampa Bay has excellent spine surgeons. If you have a single-level herniated disc or straightforward stenosis and a surgeon near you is board-certified, high-volume, and willing to answer your questions directly, there’s often no reason to look further. I’d rather you get good care close to home than take an unnecessary trip across the state.

Where the calculation changes is when your case is complicated: a revision after a prior surgery, a multi-level deformity, a diagnosis that doesn’t quite fit the standard pattern, or a recommendation for a big fusion that doesn’t sit right with you. That’s the category of patient who searches for a spine surgeon in Tampa, doesn’t find the answer they’re looking for locally, and starts looking statewide.

I’m writing this because that’s a search I see turn into a consultation more often than you’d think, and I think patients deserve a straight explanation of why, not a marketing pitch.

Why Tampa-Area Patients End Up in My Naples Office

Naples sits roughly 170 miles southwest of Tampa, about a half-day round trip by car. Nobody makes that drive, or flies in, on a whim. In my experience, patients who travel from Tampa Bay fall into a few specific groups.

Referrals From Other Spine Surgeons

A substantial part of my practice is referrals from other spine surgeons, including some in the Tampa area, for complex and revision cases. When a surgeon refers their own patient elsewhere, it’s usually because the case needs a technique, a volume of experience, or a second set of eyes they want involved. I don’t take that lightly, and I think it says something that colleagues trust me with their hardest cases.

Patients Seeking a Second Opinion

Fusion is a big decision; it’s permanent. Patients who’ve been told they need one, especially a multi-level fusion, often want a second opinion before committing. I’ll cover the evidence on this below, because it’s more significant than most people realize.

Patients Who Want Access to a Specific Technique

Some patients come specifically for CemLIF™, the rod-less, screw-less lumbar fusion technique I invented, or for the TOPS™ Posterior Arthroplasty System, a motion-preserving alternative to fusion for certain cases of spondylolisthesis. These aren’t offered everywhere, and I understand why someone would travel for an option that fits their anatomy better than what’s available nearby.

“I came from Hawaii to see Dr Frenkel and he looked at my scan and right away explained the issue and the solution… Neck surgery isn’t an easy decision but they made me feel so comfortable it felt easy.”

— Mary H., verified Google review

Mary traveled much farther than Tampa Bay. I share her review not because every patient needs to go to those lengths, but because it illustrates the point: patients with complicated situations are often willing to travel for a surgeon they trust, and my job is to make sure that trust is earned, not assumed.

The Case for a Second Opinion Before You Agree to Fusion

Here’s something I tell every patient considering a spine surgeon in Tampa, Naples, or anywhere else: get a second opinion before a major fusion, especially a multi-level one. This isn’t me being diplomatic. The data on this is striking.

A 2023 study published in BMC Health Services Research tracked 1,088 patients who sought a formal second opinion for spine surgery over an eight-year period. The first opinion had recommended fusion for 737 of them. After the second opinion, only 65 of those patients still had a fusion recommendation, a reduction of more than 90%. Most were redirected toward conservative management instead.

I want to be careful about what this study does and doesn’t say. It doesn’t mean fusion is rarely appropriate; I perform fusions regularly, including my own CemLIF™ technique, when a spine is genuinely unstable. What it does say is that the first recommendation for a major fusion is sometimes not the only reasonable one, and a second set of eyes changes the plan often enough that skipping it is a real risk.

If a surgeon in Tampa has recommended a large fusion and something about it doesn’t sit right with you, or you simply want confirmation, that instinct is worth listening to. I offer second opinions regularly, including by telehealth before you’d need to travel at all.

Why Case Volume and Complexity Experience Matter

Not all spine surgery experience is equal, and this is where I think patients researching a spine surgeon in Tampa, or anywhere, should ask sharper questions than “are they board-certified.”

A 2018 analysis in The Spine Journal, using Florida’s own statewide inpatient data, studied 187,185 lumbar fusion procedures performed by 5,514 surgeons across 178 Florida hospitals. Surgeons operating below an identified volume threshold had a meaningfully higher rate of complications: 15% higher for interbody fusion and 47% higher for posterolateral fusion, along with higher 90-day readmission rates.

That’s not a knock on any individual surgeon. Plenty of excellent surgeons handle routine cases beautifully at any volume. But for a complex or revision case specifically, the research suggests that experience with a high volume of similar, difficult cases is not a minor detail. It’s the thing to ask about directly.

What I’d Ask If I Were the Patient

• How many cases like mine, specifically, have you done this year?
• Have you performed revision surgery, and how often?
• If this doesn’t go as planned, who manages the complication?

I don’t say this to be boastful, but it’s relevant here: I trained for seven years at Wake Forest under Dr. Charles Branch, served as Chief Resident for two consecutive years, invented the CemLIF™ technique specifically to solve problems I saw with traditional instrumented fusion, and I’m regularly the surgeon other spine surgeons call for their hardest cases. That’s the kind of volume and complexity experience worth asking about, whoever you ultimately choose.

What I Do Differently

I built my practice around a simple idea: the smallest, most precise operation that reliably solves the problem, not the default one.

• CemLIF™, my rod-less, screw-less lumbar fusion technique, developed because I wanted a fusion option with less hardware and, for many patients, an easier early recovery.
• Augmented reality navigation. I was the first surgeon to use augmented reality intraoperatively, work that grew out of my own frustration with the limits of older navigation systems.
• Minimally invasive options first. Techniques like METRx minimally invasive discectomy and motion-preserving alternatives such as anterior cervical disc arthroplasty are considered before a fusion, not after.
• A willingness to say no to surgery. I don’t rush patients into the operating room, and I tell people directly when conservative care is the better first step.

When fusion genuinely is the right call, I still have several tools depending on anatomy, including anterior lumbar interbody fusion and lateral lumbar interbody fusion. The point isn’t that one technique is right for everyone; it’s that the technique should fit your spine, not the other way around.

What to Expect If You Travel From Tampa for a Consultation

If you decide the trip is worth it, here’s how I try to make it efficient rather than exhausting.

1. Start remotely when possible. Send your MRI, reports, and history ahead of time so we can often do an initial review or even a telehealth visit before you travel at all.
2. One focused in-person visit. Most consultations don’t require multiple trips back and forth just to get a plan in place.
3. Travel and logistics support. Through my Concierge Spinal Surgery Program, my team can help coordinate appointments, travel, and lodging in Naples for patients coming from Tampa Bay or farther.
4. Follow-up that doesn’t always require another drive. Many post-operative check-ins can be done by telehealth once you’re home.

You can read unedited accounts from patients, including several who traveled a real distance for care, on my testimonials page.

Questions to Ask Any Spine Surgeon, in Tampa or Anywhere

Whether you end up in my office or stay closer to home, these are the questions I’d want my own family to ask before agreeing to spine surgery:

1. Is surgery actually necessary right now, or is there a reasonable conservative option first?
2. If fusion is recommended, why isn’t a smaller operation enough for my specific case?
3. How many cases like mine have you personally done, and how many this year?
4. What happens if something doesn’t go as planned?
5. Would a second opinion change anything, and are you comfortable with me getting one?

Any surgeon worth operating with will welcome these questions without getting defensive. That’s as true of me as it should be of anyone in Tampa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Takeaways

The Bottom Line If You’re Searching for a Spine Surgeon in Tampa

If you’re searching for a spine surgeon in Tampa, I’m not going to tell you that everyone needs to drive to Naples. Most people don’t. But if your case is complex, you’ve been told you need a major fusion, or something about your recommendation doesn’t sit right, a second opinion from a surgeon who handles those specific cases regularly is worth the trip for a lot of patients I see.

If you’re in Tampa Bay or anywhere in Florida and want that second opinion, I’d be glad to review your case. Schedule a consultation online or call my office at (239) 649-1662. Traveling from farther away, or want help with logistics? Inquire about the concierge program; we can start with a telehealth review of your imaging.

Medical disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Surgical decisions are made on an individualized basis following a thorough consultation. Results may vary. Always consult a qualified physician before pursuing any surgical or medical treatment.