Spine Surgery in Indianapolis, IN

Spine Surgery in Indianapolis, IN

Aptiva Health operates at 6801 Gray Road, Suite H · Indianapolis, IN 46237 in Indianapolis — a dedicated multidisciplinary spine practice anchored by board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Jaideep Chunduri, orthopedic physician assistants Bradley Stephenson, PA-C and Bryan Davidson, PA-C, and a team of advanced practice providers who collectively evaluate, treat, and manage spine patients from initial visit through post-operative recovery. We treat the full spectrum of cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), and lumbar (lower back) conditions, prioritizing conservative care first — physical therapy, injections, and non-surgical pain management — and offering minimally invasive surgical options including ACDF, cervical disc replacement, lumbar decompression, MAS TLIF lumbar fusion, SI joint fusion, and laminectomy when surgery becomes the right answer. With on-site MRI, on-site physical therapy, and an in-house interventional pain management practice, the entire spine care pathway happens under one roof.

Medically reviewed by Jaideep Chunduri, MD. Last reviewed: July 2026.

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Why Patients Choose Aptiva Health for Spine Care in Indianapolis

One Spine Team, One Care Pathway

Most spine patients in Indianapolis end up coordinating care across three or four practices: a primary care office for the referral, a separate imaging center for the MRI, a spine specialist booked months out, an injection appointment somewhere else, and a separate physical therapy practice for rehab. Each handoff is another week of delay, another insurance authorization, another appointment to drive to.

Aptiva Health Indianapolis is structured differently. From the initial evaluation through MRI, conservative care, injections, surgery, and post-operative rehab, the patient stays inside one organization. The surgeon, the pain management physician, the physical therapist, and the imaging center all share the same chart and the same plan.

Conservative Care First, Surgery When It's Right

Most spine problems do not require surgery. Our spine team starts every patient with the least-invasive treatment that's likely to work — physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, targeted epidural and facet injections, and activity modification. We measure progress, image when needed, and only recommend surgery when the patient's symptoms and imaging both indicate it's the right step.

When surgery is the right answer, we use minimally invasive techniques whenever the anatomy allows — smaller incisions, less muscle disruption, less blood loss, shorter hospital stays, and faster return to normal activity.

Same-Week Spine Evaluations

Aptiva Health Indianapolis offers same-day and same-week spine appointments. Patients do not wait three months for a first visit. New patients with imaging in hand can often be evaluated within 7 days of calling.

The Spine Center of Excellence on Newburg Road

Aptiva Health Indianapolis is located at 6801 Gray Road, Suite H · Indianapolis, IN 46237 with on-site MRI imaging and Aptiva orthopedic, pain management, and physical therapy services. No separate trip to an outside imaging center, no week-long wait for the scan.

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Meet the Indianapolis Spine Team

Spine Conditions We Treat in Indianapolis

Our Indianapolis spine team evaluates and treats the full range of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine conditions:

• Herniated disc (cervical, thoracic, lumbar) — soft inner disc material pushing through the outer wall and pressing on a nerve root.

• Spinal stenosis — narrowing of the spinal canal that causes leg pain with walking (neurogenic claudication) or arm/hand symptoms in cervical stenosis.

• Sciatica — radiating leg pain from a pinched lumbar nerve root.

• SI joint dysfunction — pain originating from the sacroiliac joint that mimics low back pain.

• Degenerative disc disease — age-related disc wear that produces chronic back or neck pain.

• Spondylolisthesis — one vertebra slipping forward over the one below it, often at L4–L5.

• Spondylosis — age-related arthritis of the spine.

• Radiculopathy — nerve root irritation producing pain, numbness, weakness, or tingling in the arm or leg.

• Myelopathy — spinal cord dysfunction, most commonly in the cervical spine, causing hand clumsiness, balance problems, and progressive weakness.

• Neck pain — acute and chronic.

• Back pain — acute and chronic.

• Failed back surgery syndrome — patients with persistent symptoms after prior spine surgery elsewhere who need re-evaluation.

• Work-related and auto-accident spine injuries — see our Indianapolis work injury and Indianapolis auto injury pages.

Spine Surgeries Performed in Indianapolis

When conservative care has not provided sufficient relief, our Indianapolis spine team performs the full range of minimally invasive and open spine surgeries. Most are performed on an outpatient or short-stay basis at the appropriate surgical center.

Cervical (neck) spine surgery

• Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) — removes a herniated or degenerated cervical disc and fuses the adjacent vertebrae. The most established surgery for cervical disc problems with neurological symptoms.

• Cervical disc replacement (cervical disc arthroplasty) — a motion-preserving alternative to ACDF for select patients. Replaces the diseased disc with an artificial disc that preserves cervical motion at that level.

• Cervical decompression / discectomy — removes the disc material causing nerve compression without fusion when anatomy allows.

• Cervical laminectomy and laminoplasty — for cervical spinal stenosis or myelopathy. Laminoplasty preserves more of the spine's structure than traditional laminectomy.

Lumbar (lower back) spine surgery

• Lumbar decompression / discectomy — removes the herniated disc material pressing on a lumbar nerve root. The most common lumbar spine surgery.

• Lumbar laminectomy — removes part of the lamina to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. The most common surgery for symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis.

• Minimally Invasive Lumbar Fusion (MAS TLIF) — used when stenosis is combined with spinal instability or significant spondylolisthesis. The Minimal Access Surgery (MAS) TLIF approach splits the back muscles rather than cutting through them, which reduces blood loss, post-operative pain, scarring, and recovery time compared with traditional fusion.

Sacroiliac (SI) joint surgery

• Minimally invasive SI joint fusion — for patients with confirmed SI joint dysfunction who have not responded to physical therapy, injections, and conservative care. Performed through a small incision with implants that stabilize the joint.

Pain management procedures (often non-surgical alternatives)

Performed by Dr. Steven Ganzel under live fluoroscopic guidance, these procedures let many spine patients avoid surgery entirely:

• Epidural steroid injection

• Facet joint injection

• Medial branch block

• Radiofrequency ablation (rhizotomy) — for facet-joint pain; can provide six to twelve months of relief.

• Permanent spinal cord stimulator placement — for chronic neuropathic pain that has not responded to other treatments.

The Aptiva Stepped Care Approach to Spine Conditions

Spine surgery is rarely a first-line treatment. Our Indianapolis spine team follows a stepped-care approach that gives every patient the best chance of resolving their symptoms without surgery.

Step 1 — Activity modification, medication, and self-care. NSAIDs, short courses of muscle relaxants, nerve-pain medications when appropriate, ice and heat therapy, and avoiding the postures or activities that aggravate symptoms.

Step 2 — Physical therapy and non-invasive treatments. Spine-specific protocols, manual therapy, dry needling, and aquatic therapy when indicated.

Step 3 — Interventional pain management injections under fluoroscopic guidance by Dr. Ganzel — epidural steroid injection, facet joint injection, medial branch block, radiofrequency ablation.

Step 4 — Minimally invasive procedures and surgery when conservative care has not provided sufficient relief or when the diagnosis clearly requires surgical decompression.

Many patients reach Step 2 or Step 3 and stop there — their symptoms resolve and they do not need surgery. For the patients who do need surgery, the stepped-care evaluation makes sure the surgery is targeting the right problem at the right level.

When Should You See an Aptiva Spine Surgeon in Indianapolis?

Most spine pain comes on gradually and resolves with conservative care. Certain patterns warrant prompt evaluation by a spine specialist:

• Back or neck pain that has not improved after 4–6 weeks of rest, activity modification, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, and basic stretching.

• Pain radiating into the leg or arm that follows a specific nerve pattern.

• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in an arm or leg.

• Pain that worsens at night or wakes you up.

• Difficulty walking long distances because of leg pain that improves with sitting (a classic sign of lumbar spinal stenosis).

• Neck pain combined with hand clumsiness or balance problems — can be a sign of cervical myelopathy.

• A prior spine surgery that did not provide the relief expected.

• Spine pain following a fall, accident, or work injury.

Get to an emergency room immediately if you experience: sudden loss of bladder or bowel control, sudden severe weakness in both legs or both arms, saddle anesthesia (numbness in the area that would touch a saddle), or symptoms following a high-energy injury. These can indicate severe spinal cord or cauda equina compression, which is a surgical emergency.

For non-emergency spine evaluation, Aptiva Health Indianapolis offers same-day and same-week appointments — patients do not wait months for an evaluation.

Schedule a Consultation in Indianapolis — Schedule Now

Address: 6801 Gray Road, Suite H · Indianapolis, IN 46237

Phone: 463-303-0501 Fax: (855) 859-0123

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Workers' comp scheduling line: 1-844-999-3627

Directions: Located on the south side of Indianapolis, easily accessible from I-65 (Exit 103 Southport Rd), US-31 (East Street), and I-465. Approximately 10 minutes from downtown Greenwood and 15 minutes from downtown Indianapolis.

Insurance accepted: Most major medical insurance, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, most Indiana Medicaid plans, workers' compensation, auto injury coverage (PIP and MedPay), and cash-pay.Schedule your appointment now!

Patients Aptiva Health with their Spine Care

Frequently Asked Questions About Spine Surgery in Indianapolis

Who are the spine specialists at Aptiva Health Indianapolis?

Aptiva Health Indianapolis' spine team is led by board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Jaideep Chunduri, who specializes in the evaluation and surgical treatment of neck and back conditions. Supporting patient care are Bradley Stephenson, PA-C, and Bryan Davidson, PA-C, who work closely with Dr. Chunduri to provide comprehensive evaluations, coordinate treatment plans, assist with post-operative care, and help ensure a seamless patient experience from consultation through recovery.

Where is the Aptiva Health Spine Center in Indianapolis?

Aptiva Health Indianapolis is conveniently located at 6801 Gray Road, Suite H · Indianapolis, IN 46237. Our Indianapolis location offers comprehensive spine care under one roof, including physician evaluations, pain management, physical therapy, and on-site MRI services to streamline your treatment and reduce delays between appointments.

Do I need spine surgery?

Most neck and back pain does not require surgery. At Aptiva Health Indianapolis, we begin with the least invasive treatment options whenever appropriate, including physical therapy, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medications, and image-guided spinal injections. Surgery is only recommended when conservative treatments have not provided adequate relief or when imaging and your symptoms clearly indicate that surgery is the best option. Many patients improve without ever needing an operation.

What is minimally invasive spine surgery?

Minimally invasive spine surgery uses specialized instruments and smaller incisions to access the spine while minimizing disruption to surrounding muscles and tissues. Compared with traditional open procedures, minimally invasive techniques may result in less blood loss, smaller scars, reduced post-operative discomfort, shorter hospital stays, and a faster return to daily activities. Dr. Chunduri will determine whether a minimally invasive approach is appropriate based on your diagnosis and anatomy.

What is the difference between ACDF and cervical disc replacement?

Both procedures treat damaged cervical discs that compress nerves or the spinal cord.

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) removes the damaged disc and stabilizes the spine by fusing the adjacent vertebrae together. It has been a trusted and effective procedure for decades.

Cervical Disc Replacement removes the damaged disc but replaces it with an artificial disc designed to preserve motion at that level of the spine. This procedure may be appropriate for select patients depending on the location of the problem, overall spinal health, and other individual factors.

During your consultation, Dr. Chunduri will explain which option may be most appropriate for your specific condition.

How long is recovery after spine surgery?

Recovery varies depending on the type of procedure performed and your overall health. Many patients undergoing minimally invasive spine surgery begin walking the same day and return to light activities within a few weeks. More complex procedures, such as spinal fusion, generally require a longer recovery period.

Your recovery plan may include physical therapy, activity modifications, and scheduled follow-up visits with Dr. Chunduri and our advanced practice providers to help monitor healing and maximize your outcome.

Can I avoid spine surgery?

In many cases, yes. Most spine conditions improve with conservative treatments such as physical therapy, medications, spinal injections, and lifestyle modifications. Our philosophy is to exhaust appropriate nonsurgical options before recommending surgery whenever it is safe to do so.

However, certain conditions—including significant spinal instability, progressive neurological weakness, severe spinal cord compression, or cauda equina syndrome—may require surgery to prevent permanent nerve damage.

When should I see a spine specialist instead of my primary care physician?

While many patients first discuss neck or back pain with their primary care provider, you do not need a referral to schedule an appointment with Aptiva Health Indianapolis in most cases.

You should consider seeing a spine specialist if you experience:

• Neck or back pain lasting more than four to six weeks

• Pain radiating into your arms or legs

• Numbness or tingling

• Muscle weakness

• Difficulty walking because of leg pain

• Symptoms that have not improved with conservative treatment

• Neck or back pain following an injury

Early evaluation can often help identify the source of your symptoms and prevent unnecessary delays in treatment.

Does Aptiva Health Indianapolis provide second opinions for spine surgery?

Yes. Many patients visit Aptiva Health Indianapolis for a second opinion after receiving a recommendation for spine surgery elsewhere.

If possible, bring your MRI, CT scans, X-rays, and previous medical records to your appointment. Dr. Chunduri will perform a comprehensive evaluation, review your imaging, and discuss all appropriate treatment options—including nonsurgical care when appropriate—so you can make an informed decision about your care.

How quickly can I be seen for a spine evaluation?

Aptiva Health Indianapolis strives to offer timely appointments for patients experiencing neck or back pain. Same-week appointments are often available, and patients who already have imaging may be evaluated even sooner.

If you're experiencing severe pain, progressive weakness, or symptoms following an injury, contact our office as soon as possible so our team can determine the most appropriate appointment timeframe.

What insurance does Aptiva Health Indianapolis accept?

Aptiva Health Indianapolis accepts most major commercial insurance plans, Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, workers' compensation claims, auto accident coverage, and self-pay patients.

Our staff will verify your insurance benefits prior to your appointment and answer any questions regarding coverage.

Does Aptiva Health Indianapolis treat work-related and auto accident spine injuries?

Yes. Aptiva Health Indianapolis evaluates and treats spine injuries resulting from workplace accidents, motor vehicle collisions, and other traumatic injuries.

Our team works with employers, case managers, attorneys, and insurance carriers to help coordinate care while providing comprehensive evaluations, treatment recommendations, documentation, and follow-up throughout your recovery.

Questions? Call us today! 463-303-0501