Patient Testimonials

I first saw Dr. Bircher 3 1/2 years ago when I started experiencing pain in my right knee. He guided me through options. He said to come see him once I am unable to do the activities I want to do without pain. There was no pressure in deciding right away! When the time came, he X-rayed and confirmed I was ready to have my knee replaced. Dr. Bircher and his team were very helpful and responsive throughout the process. The surgery went great! I have already been golfing and hitting the gym consistently only 90 days after the surgery. If I have any further knee or hip needs, I know who I will be calling. Thank you to Dr. Bircher and his team, including my physical therapists. They did a great job!

I had both my knees replaced in 2023. It went great! I’m getting my left shoulder replacement surgery in March, then the right one replaced in July. I wanted to give a shout out to Dr. Peterson and his team at TCO Wyoming. I’ve been asking Jenna and Christine many questions and concerns. They’re so great and understanding! When you go through a serious thing like this, it’s reassuring to have someone so knowledgeable and kind. It really helps to make you feel relaxed. Every experience I’ve had at TCO Wyoming has been very good. I know other people including family members that have been there and they feel the same way. Thank you for putting up with me through all of this! You’re all the best!

Dr. Lewis is an excellent surgeon. He is very personable and truly cares about his patients. I had both knees done in a six-month timeframe with no issues. My recovery going well. I would recommend him to anybody who needs knee or hip surgery.

I had my first surgery performed by Dr. Saterbak when I was 21 after a downhill skiing mishap. The second surgery on my right knee was done almost two years later, when I decided wakeboarding with one repaired ACL was a good idea because that knee was braced. My surgery recoveries went well. I listened while in recovery and followed the directions of my amazing physical therapist. I am writing this because, 20 years after surgery, I run a 5k almost every day. I have not missed a day of working out in over three years. I don’t attribute all my success to Dr. Saterbak, but I know I would not be moving around with my two children the same way had I not found her all those years ago. Thank you to Dr. Saterbak and all of the TCO staff who helped make my journey a success!

I am very happy with Dr. Lewis. He is very professional and kind. He does such a great job that I continue to have him do my surgeries. So far, he has done a shoulder repair, two knee replacements (right and left), and a hip replacement. Dr. Lewis is an excellent surgeon and a genuinely kind person. His staff is excellent too, especially Libby and Angela.

A year ago, I tore the ACL, meniscus, and cartilage in my knee while skiing. Dr. Ockuly said it was a major surgery, and if all went well, I would be off crutches in six weeks. Ski season was obviously over but hopefully I could recover in time to enjoy spring break with my family. Six weeks later, I was walking with a cane. Three days after that, I was able to board a plane. It wasn’t too much longer before I was walking freely with just a brace. Here I am a year later having just returned from a three-day ski trip. The informative care and bedside manner I received from Dr. Ockuly’s team was second to none. The TCO physical therapists, even the front office staff, made me feel like I was the most important person in their day. I cannot stress how critical their role played in my physical and mental recovery. Every step and every person I encountered throughout this process was exceptional. I cannot recommend TCO enough.

Dr. Bircher did a great job, and he is a real nice guy. I would recommend him for anyone who needs a knee replacement.

My journey to a full knee replacement began in 1998 when I tore my ACL playing league basketball with some friends. The surgery and recovery went great, but mentally it took a few years before I returned to playing.

Around 2015, I began feeling pain in my kneecap area. A patellar band helped for a while, but over the next year the pain increased enough that I saw a knee specialist. After hearing my history and symptoms, he believed arthritis and bone spurs were setting in, which imaging confirmed. He explained that the ACL injury and surgery often accelerate this kind of deterioration.

Over the following years, the pain slowly increased as soft tissue deteriorated. I tried physical therapy, scope surgeries, and cortisone shots. They helped, but it was clear I was heading toward a full knee replacement. Because of my age, my doctor encouraged me to wait as long asI felt I could, which was a scary moment.

About two years ago, I finally felt limited enough that I knew it was time to seriously consider getting an artificial knee, but how do you find the right doctor? It’s easy to look up reviews for movies, restaurants, or contractors, but in the medical field it’s much harder. Reviews are also so dependent on personal experience, which may not reflect what I would encounter.

Fortunately, I have a friend who provides equipment used in operating rooms. With extensive exposure to orthopedic surgeons, he recommended three that he would ‘send his own mother to.’ That helped me narrow things down quickly. I was able to schedule a consult with Dr. Brian Bjerke at TCO. He gave me a full rundown of the surgery and recovery. I was scared and nervous, but he gave me a confidence and optimism I didn’t have before.

From the beginning, it was made clear that while the surgeon matters tremendously, my success depended just as much on me. I needed to be as strong and flexible as possible going into surgery and remain consistent with PT afterwards. Some of the bad stories I’d heard involved patients who didn’t do that.

About nine months before surgery, I started working out. Because of the pain, I hadn’t been doing much, so I searched YouTube for exercises I could manage and found chair workouts. I did them daily from January to July. I saw major improvements in strength, flexibility, and even pain. At my consult, Dr. Bjerke confirmed I was ready. I also did four PT sessions before surgery to learn the exercises I’d be doing after.

I give the entire TCO team tremendous credit. I’m also extremely proud of the work I put in pre-and post-surgery. Because of that, I was at or ahead of schedule on all my milestones. Within a month, I was doing near-normal activities again: working in the yard, my workshop, around the house, and attending my son’s high school games.

The entire process was scary, but I am so happy with the results. I want to share my experience so others can have the same confidence as they go through their own journey.

I am so glad that I had my full knee replacement surgery done as the experience exceeded my expectations. The surgery was easy and pain free. Afterwards, I was driven to the EXCEL Program that was a few miles down the road from the TCO Edina location at the Crosstown Surgery Center. I ordered restaurant food from the Taverns menu and was educated on physical therapy. They put an ice compression pack on my leg which I ended up renting for four weeks so I could use it at home. On the same day as the procedure, I was already starting physical therapy. There was no pain which surprised me. I had some good pain medication after surgery and the nerve blocks really helped. I didn’t have pain until I got home and the pain medication and nerve block started wearing off.

You want to try and stay ahead of the pain as much as you can. I did physical therapy twice a day, walked as much as I was comfortable with, and didn’t work for two and a half weeks. I went to my scheduled physical therapy sessions and when those ended, I did them independently at home. It has now been two months and I am pain free.

This new knee is already better and more painless than my original knee. I can finally work out after not being able to for about 12 years. Previously, I could work out my upper body, but since I couldn’t use one leg very well, it was more likely that I wouldn’t work out at all. I climb stairs, do leg squats, snowshoe thru deep snow for miles. It is wonderful!

I had a lot of swelling and bruising but it is still reducing every week. The EXCEL Program really is a miracle, and I would do it again if I need my other knee replaced. I am impressed with TCO and everyone I met. They make it so you are on your way to better health and with confidence. Super great!

Dr. Carlson did a great job working with me both during pre-op and post-op. The procedure was easier and the recovery was faster than I thought they would be. I had physical therapy with Mike Stay and Catherine Slaymaker at TCO Plymouth. Just under six weeks out, I am done with PT and getting back to my normal routine. The services I have gotten from Twin Cities Orthopedics have always been outstanding. Besides my recent knee replacement, they have done two shoulder replacements and an ankle replacement for me. I highly recommend Dr. Carlson and the entire care staff at TCO. They will be doing my future joint replacements.