Meet Michael Casnellie, MD

About Dr. Casnellie

Dr. Casnellie has been treating spine patients in Louisville since 2005 and is one of the most experienced motion-preservation spine surgeons in Kentucky. He performed Kentucky's first Mobi-C cervical artificial disc replacement — a procedure that preserves motion at the affected level of the cervical spine instead of fusing it — and remains one of the few surgeons in the state offering both cervical and lumbar disc replacement to appropriate candidates.

His training combines a national-caliber spine fellowship with a rigorous orthopedic residency. He completed his fellowship at Twin Cities Spine Center, a Minneapolis-based program consistently ranked among the top spine fellowships in the country, where surgeons see exceptionally high case volumes across the full spectrum of cervical and lumbar disorders. His orthopedic surgery residency was completed at William Beaumont Army Medical Center / Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, following a preliminary surgery internship at the Cleveland Clinic.

Before medical school, Dr. Casnellie earned his Bachelor of Science in Genetic Bioengineering from Purdue University with highest distinction. The engineering background informs his approach to spinal hardware, biomechanics, and motion-preservation surgery — fields where understanding load distribution, fusion mechanics, and implant behavior matters as much as anatomy.

He has authored or co-authored peer-reviewed research published in Spine, the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques, and other orthopedic journals, and has served as course faculty teaching minimally invasive lumbar fusion (MAS-TLIF) to other surgeons.

Conditions Treated & Specialized Procedures

What Dr. Casnellie Treats:

• Cervical herniated disc and radiculopathy

• Lumbar herniated disc and radiculopathy

• Sciatica

• Spinal stenosis (cervical and lumbar)

• Spondylolisthesis

• Degenerative disc disease

• Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction

• Failed back surgery syndrome

• Cervical and lumbar facet syndrome

• Spinal instability

Motion Preservation Spine Surgery

A consistent theme in Dr. Casnellie's practice is preserving motion at the operated level of the spine whenever it's the right answer for the patient. Spinal fusion is a powerful and sometimes necessary tool, but it eliminates motion at the fused level and shifts mechanical load to adjacent levels.

For appropriate candidates, artificial disc replacement is an alternative. Instead of fusing two vertebrae together, a prosthetic disc is implanted that allows the spine to bend, twist, and flex naturally at that level. Long-term follow-up studies have shown disc replacement can reduce the rate of adjacent segment disease compared to fusion in selected patients.

Dr. Casnellie holds surgical certifications in cervical arthroplasty, lumbar arthroplasty (Charité), and SI joint fusion (SI-Bone iFuse), and was the first surgeon in Kentucky to perform a Mobi-C cervical disc replacement. Not every patient is a candidate — disc replacement requires specific anatomy, disc height, facet joint health, and bone density — and part of the consultation is a careful evaluation of whether replacement, fusion, or non-surgical care is the best path forward for that individual.

Learn more about cervical disc replacement →

Education and Training

• Spine Surgery Fellowship - Twin Cities Spine Center · Minneapolis, MN · 2004–2005

• Orthopaedic Surgery Residency - William Beaumont Army Medical Center / Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center · El Paso, TX · 2000–2004

• Preliminary Surgery Internship - The Cleveland Clinic Foundation · Cleveland, OH · 1999–2000

• Doctor of Medicine - University of Louisville School of Medicine · 1995–1999 · Summa Cum Laude

• Bachelor of Science, Genetic Bioengineering - Purdue University · 1991–1995 · Highest Distinction

Board Certification & Surgical Credentials

• Board Certified, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (initial certification 2007; recertified 2018)

• Charité Artificial Disc — Surgical Certification

• Cervical Arthroplasty — Surgical Certification

• SI-Bone iFuse — Surgical Certification

• Licensed by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure

• Member, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)

• Member, Kentucky Medical Association

Selected Publications

Dr. Casnellie’s peer-reviewed work has appeared in leading orthopedic and spine journals:

• Rouben DP, Casnellie MT, Ferguson M. Long Term Durability of Minimal Invasive Posterior Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Clinical and Radiographic Follow-up. Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques. 2011; 24(5): 288–296.

• Plouis A, Casnellie M, Graber JN, Dykes DC. Acute Tibial Compartment Syndrome Following Spine Surgery. Orthopedics. 2010; 33(6).

• Schwender JD, Casnellie MT, Perra JH, et al. Perioperative Complications in Revision Anterior Lumbar Spine Surgery: Incidence and Risk Factors. Spine. 2009; 34(1): 87–90.

• Morgan HD, McCallister W, Cho MS, Casnellie MT, Leopold SS. Impaction Allografting for Femoral Component Revision: Clinical Update. Clinical Orthopaedics. 2004; 420: 160–168.

• Leopold SS, Casnellie MT, Warme WJ, et al. Endogenous Cortisol Production in Response to Knee Arthroscopy and Total Knee Arthroplasty. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 2003; 85: 2163–2167.

• Casnellie MT, Leopold SS. Cancellous Impaction Allografting for Femoral Component Revision in Total Hip Arthroplasty. Techniques in Orthopaedics. 2001; 16: 258–267.

Teaching and Course Faculty

Dr. Casnellie has served as course faculty for surgeon training in MAS-TLIF (Minimally Access Surgery / Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion) and DLIF (Direct Lateral Interbody Fusion) programs in St. Louis, Memphis, Tampa, and Indianapolis — teaching surgical techniques to other practicing spine surgeons.

Where Dr. Casnellie Sees Patients

1. Louisville, KY - Spine Center of Excellence - 3615 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40218 - Telephone: 502-909-0772

2. Elizabethtown, KY - Aptiva Health Orthopedics - 529 Westport Road, Suite 2, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 - Telephone: 270-506-4888

3. Mt. Washington, KY - Aptiva Health Orthopedics - 737 N Hwy 31e Bypass, Suite 2, Mount Washington, KY 40047 - Telephone: 502-909-0772

How to Schedule a Consultation

Most patients come to Dr. Casnellie either as a self-referral after persistent neck or back pain, on referral from a primary care physician or chiropractor, or for a second opinion before considering spine surgery. He sees patients with most insurance coverage, on workers' compensation claims, after auto accidents, and on cash-pay terms.

A first consultation typically includes a full history, a physical examination, review of any prior imaging (or new imaging if needed), and an honest discussion of treatment options — including whether surgery is the right next step or whether non-surgical care (physical therapy, interventional pain management, or activity modification) should be tried first.

Frequently Asked Questions

What conditions does Dr. Casnellie treat?

Dr. Casnellie treats the full range of cervical and lumbar spine conditions, including herniated discs, sciatica, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and failed back surgery syndrome. His practice emphasizes motion-preservation surgery — including cervical and lumbar disc replacement — alongside traditional fusion and minimally invasive techniques.

Did Dr. Casnellie really perform the first Mobi-C disc replacement in Kentucky?

Yes. Dr. Casnellie was the first surgeon in Kentucky to perform a Mobi-C cervical artificial disc replacement. The Mobi-C is an FDA-approved cervical disc prosthesis used to preserve motion at the operated level of the cervical spine instead of fusing it.

Where did Dr. Casnellie complete his spine fellowship?

Dr. Casnellie completed his spine surgery fellowship at Twin Cities Spine Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota — a program consistently ranked among the top spine fellowships in the United States.

Is Dr. Casnellie board-certified?

Yes. Dr. Casnellie is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (initial certification 2007; recertified 2018).

What insurance does Dr. Casnellie accept?

Dr. Casnellie accepts most major medical insurance plans, Medicare, most Medicare Advantage plans, Kentucky Medicaid, Passport Molina, United Healthcare Medicaid, Anthem Medicaid, Aetna Better Health, CareSource, workers' compensation coverage, auto accident coverage (PIP and MedPay), and cash-pay arrangements. Aptiva Health's billing team can verify coverage before your first visit. Call 502-909-0772 for benefit verification.

Does Dr. Casnellie offer second opinions before spine surgery?

Yes. Many of Dr. Casnellie's patients come to him for a second opinion before deciding on spine surgery. Bringing prior imaging (MRI, X-ray, CT) and any prior physician notes makes the consultation most useful.

Where does Dr. Casnellie practice?

Dr. Casnellie currently sees patients in offices located in Louisville, Elizabethtown, and Mt. Washington, Kentucky.

Does Dr. Casnellie perform minimally invasive spine surgery?

Yes. Dr. Casnellie performs minimally invasive procedures including MAS-TLIF (minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion), microdiscectomy, and minimally invasive decompression. He has also served as course faculty teaching MAS-TLIF technique to other spine surgeons.

How long is the recovery after a disc replacement?

Recovery from cervical disc replacement is typically faster than recovery from cervical fusion, with most patients returning to light activity within 2–4 weeks and to most regular activities within 6–12 weeks. Specific recovery timelines depend on the patient's overall health, the level operated, and the type of work they return to.

Can I bring my MRI from another provider?

Yes. Bringing prior imaging — MRI, CT, or X-ray — to your first visit accelerates the consultation. If you don't have your imaging, Aptiva can obtain it from the prior facility or, if needed, perform new imaging on-site in Louisville.

Dr. Casnellie’s Patient Testimonials

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