Patient Testimonials

Dr. Hunt performed a partial shoulder replacement on me two months ago. While I am still recovering, I am delighted to share that I have more functionality with my arms than I ever have before. The entire process at TCO has been enjoyable, and I have no hesitation in recommending Dr. Hunt and his team to others. Dr. Hunt has been a pleasure to work with, and I felt confident with his recommendations when we first started this process.

Dr. Kelly is an excellent doctor! In 2019, he performed rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder with perfect results. So, when I recently experienced pain in my left shoulder, I knew the doctor I wanted was Dr. Kelly. I was very pleased with my visit. He immediately diagnosed my condition and put a plan in place for recovery. Thank you, Dr. Kelly!

I am extremely happy with my left elbow surgery from Dr. Nishant Dwivedi. He took great care of me. The process from start to finish, including post op appointments and therapy, were quick and smooth. The tingling and pain are gone, and I have feeling back in my elbow again. My whole experience was excellent, and I would recommend Dr. Dwivedi 100 times over!

I am so grateful I chose to have Dr. Hunt and his team perform my reverse total shoulder surgery. Before the procedure, I struggled with constant pain and functional impairment which affected my quality of life. Simple tasks like reaching overhead, getting dressed, and even putting my seatbelt on in the car were a challenge. The difference after surgery has been remarkable. My constant pain is gone. I have gained mobility I thought I lost forever and now I feel like I have my life back. The recovery process took commitment, but with the support of my surgeon and physical therapy team at Twin Cities Orthopedics, I was able to rebuild strength and confidence in daily living. The care I received, and the outcome of the surgery have truly given me my life back. Thank you TCO and Dr. Hunt!

I was paired with Dr. Brian O’Neill back in 2004 when I had torn my bicep tendon during work. He performed my surgery, and now I can still throw balls and frisbee golf discs without any problems. I believe he doesn’t perform that particular surgery anymore, but mine has stood the test of time. Thanks to Dr. O’Neill for his outstanding skill during my surgery.

Dr. Wulf performed arthroscopic surgery on my shoulder. I am 7-weeks out and already have better range of motion with less pain. Dr. Wulf was great with the whole process from initial visits to physical therapy to injections to surgery. He always answered my questions and was good at explaining the surgical process. I am grateful for my positive experience with Dr. Wulf and TCO. I highly recommend Dr. Wulf and his staff – they are all very professional!

On September 17th, 2024, I fell from my bicycle and landed on my left shoulder. An MRI indicated multiple rotator cuff tears. I did not intend to have surgery due to age, prior injuries, and history of failed rotator cuff repairs on my right shoulder. After four months of dealing with pain, weakness, and sleepless nights, I decided to see Dr. Butterfield at Twin Cities Orthopedics.

I had little expectation of a successful long-term outcome. I just wanted relief from the pain without drugs. I was also willing to live with some pain and limited function, as I do with my right shoulder. During my discussion with Dr. Butterfield, he explained that the age of 70 is not the same for everyone, and because of my good health, I would be a good candidate for surgery. He also stated that because my left shoulder had no previous procedures, there was no scar tissue to deal with. After Dr. Butterfield finished talking, I told him he had given me hope, and I would like to go ahead with the surgery. The surgery date was on February 14th, 2025.

The are four key factors that contributed to my successful shoulder surgery:

1) Dr. Butterfield is a highly recommended surgeon, who did an excellent job repairing my shoulder. I appreciate his confidence and the hope he gave me during my assessment.

2) The sling that was issued to me was wonderful. It fit well and secured my shoulder to give excellent support. The slings provided to me for past surgeries on the right shoulder were completely inadequate.

3) My Physical Therapist, Ron Fischer, was great. He patiently worked to stretch and strengthen my shoulder. He gave me a good plan for home exercises. Ron was encouraging and easy to work with.

4) I tried to be the best patient I could be. I followed directions and restrictions as much as possible. The excellent sling helped make the difference. I also did daily stretches and strengthening exercises as instructed, except for the few times when I felt the shoulder needed some rest.

These four things contributed to the success of my surgery. I now have full range of motion, good strength, and I can get a good night’s sleep. I’m grateful to Dr. Butterfield and staff for the care and service I received at TCO.

Dr. Jason Barry and Rebecca Munson did a great job replacing my right shoulder. Before I had surgery, I couldn’t even lift a coffee cup or tie my shoes. Now, I am five weeks post-surgery and have a 25-pound limit. I have full range of motion and no pain. Dr. Barry also performed replacement surgery on my left shoulder back in 2018. Both are working well and have given me a new lease on life.  Dr. Barry and Rebecca Munson are an amazing care team if you ever need replacement surgery.

Dr. Bjerke performed surgery on my left shoulder on October 9th, 2024. I have been pleased with the results. My mobility and strength are improving every day; and I have not experienced any pain or soreness in my shoulder for quite some time.

There are four important factors in the success of my surgery:

1. I had an excellent surgeon and team that performed the surgery
2. I received a note in my post-surgery packet regarding a rental of cold compress machine. I did rent one and used it extensively for the first two to three weeks after surgery. This was very important in managing my pain. I did not have to use any prescribed pain medicine, just a heavy regiment of Advil and Tylenol.
3. Dr. Bjerke referred me to Mike Dickey for physical therapy. He is very good! He knows how to rehabilitate a shoulder and knows the intricacies of what is going to happen in recovery each week. I was very faithful following his rehab exercises and it paid off.
4. I had a great caregiver as my wife who has first-hand experience in rotator-cuff surgeries.

My activity level is improving. I am playing tennis three times a week, and I am not feeling any aftereffects in my shoulder. My workouts at the gym are going well. I am using light weights but also staying away from exercises that Dr. Bjerke and Mike Dickey recommended not doing. I am still doing my Mike Dickey rehab exercises faithfully. This was not a fun surgery. Recovery is long and I still feel like I am recovering. But I am glad I had it done and it is over. I made the right decision. Thank you to Dr. Bjerke being a great doctor and working with me through this multi-year shoulder experience.

I had a right shoulder joint replacement. Dr. Hunt did a phenomenal job! I had the nerve block which lasted three days and I had no pain. Icing helped with swelling as well. I was at the TCO EXCEL recovery suite overnight. Everyone there was very kind and took good care of me. They are where attentive to my needs. I highly recommend TCO!