Spine Surgery in Elizabethtown, KY
Spine Care for Elizabethtown Patients
Back and neck pain is the most common reason Hardin County patients come to Aptiva Health, and most of them never need an operation. At our Elizabethtown clinic, 529 Westport Road, Suite 2, Dr. Michael Casnellie, a board-certified spine surgeon, evaluates herniated discs, sciatica, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, SI joint pain and neck conditions, and directs a stepped plan that starts with physical therapy and image-guided injections. When surgery is the right answer, he performs minimally invasive procedures in the Louisville metro area, and every visit before and after the operation is in Elizabethtown.
Call 270-506-4888 · Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM · Same-day appointments available.
Medically reviewed by Michael Casnellie, MD. Last reviewed: October 2026.
Spine Procedures for Elizabethtown Patients
Microdiscectomy: removal of the herniated disc fragment pressing on a nerve, for sciatica that fails non-surgical care.
Lumbar laminectomy: decompression for spinal stenosis causing leg pain, numbness and limited walking.
MAS TLIF spinal fusion: minimal access fusion for instability, spondylolisthesis and degenerative disc disease.
SI joint fusion: minimally invasive stabilization of the sacroiliac joint confirmed by diagnostic injection.
ACDF and cervical disc replacement: surgery for neck conditions causing arm pain, numbness or weakness.
Your Elizabethtown Spine Surgeon
Michael Casnellie, MD - Board-Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon
Dr. Casnellie is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon who has been treating spine patients in Kentucky since 2005 and evaluates and treats spine conditions at Aptiva Health’s Elizabethtown clinic on Westport Road. He specializes in minimally invasive neck and back surgery and SI joint dysfunction, and he directs the stepped plan for Elizabethtown patients: physical therapy and injections first, surgery only when it is the right answer. When surgery is needed, he performs it in the Louisville metro area, and your pre-operative and follow-up visits stay in Elizabethtown.
Spine Conditions We Treat in Elizabethtown
Herniated discs, sciatica and radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, SI joint dysfunction, cervical disc herniation and cervical stenosis, facet joint arthritis, compression fractures, and work and auto injuries to the back and neck. Every one of these is evaluated with an exam and on-site X-ray at our Westport Road clinic, and most are treated there without surgery.
What We Try First, in Elizabethtown
The non-surgical pathway is delivered at Westport Road:
Physical therapy with Simon Hoehn, PT, DPT and Dovie Brown, PTA: core and hip strengthening, nerve mobility, and posture and lifting mechanics. Dovie works one on one with patients and has extensive experience with orthopedic injuries and conditions.
Image-guided epidural steroid, facet and SI joint injections by our interventional pain team.
Radiofrequency ablation for facet and SI joint pain that responds to diagnostic blocks.
Medication and activity guidance to keep you working and moving while the nerve settles.
Most patients improve on this plan within six to twelve weeks. Surgery is discussed when pain or nerve symptoms persist despite it, or sooner when there is progressive weakness.
Your First Visit at Westport Road
Where: 529 Westport Road, Suite 2, Elizabethtown, KY 42701.
When: Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM; same-day appointments at 270-506-4888.
What happens: history, a spine and neurological exam, and on-site X-rays, including standing and bending views when instability is a question.
Further imaging: MRI or CT, when needed, is scheduled at Aptiva Health Imaging, 3615 Newburg Road in Louisville, and reviewed with you at your next Elizabethtown visit.
Bring: photo ID, insurance card, medication list, prior imaging and operative reports, and claim details for work or auto injuries.
If You Need Surgery
Your pre-operative visit, where the procedure, anesthesia plan and therapy schedule are set, is in Elizabethtown. Surgery for Elizabethtown patients is performed in the Louisville metro area; microdiscectomy, laminectomy and SI joint fusion are usually outpatient, and fusion may involve a short hospital stay. Follow-up visits, X-rays and physical therapy are all back at Westport Road.
When to Be Seen Right Away
Call the same day for back or neck pain with new weakness in a leg or arm, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or a change in bladder or bowel control. Those symptoms can indicate significant nerve compression and are evaluated urgently. Call 270-506-4888.
Get Evaluated in Elizabethtown
Aptiva Health Orthopedics, Elizabethtown: 529 Westport Road, Suite 2, Elizabethtown, KY 42701. Call 270-506-4888, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Same-day appointments are available, and the schedule button below lets you book online.
MRI and CT, when needed, are performed at Aptiva Health Imaging, 3615 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40218, and reviewed with you back in Elizabethtown.
Patients Trust Aptiva Health with Their Spine Care
“Dr. Casnellie, Simon and Tori gave my life back to me after suffering from chronic SI pain for a year following a car accident. 12 months post op, my husband and I celebrated by going dog sledding in Alaska. None of this would’ve been possible without the team at Aptiva. ❤️ THANK YOU APTIVA!”
“Dr. Casnellie and staff, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your help and continued help this year! I know I have a very hard road but with your help the road seems easier! Thank you so much!”
Frequently Asked Questions About Spine Surgery in Elizabethtown
Do I have to go to Louisville for spine surgery?
Your evaluation, imaging review, injections, pre-operative visit, follow-ups and physical therapy are all at our Elizabethtown clinic on Westport Road. The surgery itself is performed in the Louisville metro area, and you return to Elizabethtown for all follow-up care.
Do I need an MRI before my first visit?
No. You will be examined and X-rayed in Elizabethtown first. MRI or CT, if needed, is scheduled at our Newburg Road imaging center in Louisville and reviewed at your next Elizabethtown visit.
Will I need surgery?
Most spine patients do not. Herniated discs, sciatica and many cases of stenosis improve with therapy and injections. Surgery is considered when nerve symptoms persist after that care, or sooner when weakness is progressing.
Can I get injections and physical therapy in Elizabethtown?
Yes. Image-guided spine injections, radiofrequency ablation and physical therapy with Simon Hoehn, PT, DPT and Dovie Brown, PTA are all provided at the Westport Road clinic.
How soon can I be seen?
Same-day appointments are available Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Call 270-506-4888.