Patient Testimonials

Dr. Hoel and his team provided excellent care from the first visit to the last appointment following surgery. I was having problems with my neck and back. He came into the room fully prepared to discuss everything that was causing my problems and what options I had going forward. I decided to have the cervical discectomy and fusion, and I had excellent results. My balance is improving and the main reason the surgery was necessary is so that I could continue skiing, biking, and golfing. I am 77 years old and there is a lot of damage to my spine and neck due to arthritis. Dr. Hoel did the surgery with a small incision that hardly shows. I had minimal pain in my upper back, due to the fusion that was done. I highly recommend Dr. Hoel and trust him to give me an honest opinion. He listens and answers all questions thoughtfully. I never felt rushed.

I was referred to Dr. Hoel by another surgeon at TCO. I went in with shoulder and neck pain. I also had numbness, like pins and needles going down my arm and into my left hand. After reviewing my MRI, he diagnosed me with a large herniated disc. After reviewing all my options I decided on surgery. The surgery went great. In the recovery room, all of the pain in my shoulder and the feeling of pins and needles were gone. I would recommend Dr. Hoel for any of your surgical needs.

I’ve dealt with cervical issues for most of my adult life. In late August/early September of 2022, the C6-C7 area of my cervical spine herniated, causing pain, paresthesia, and substantial weakness in my right arm. In particular, those muscles innervated by the nerves were compressed by the extrusion. My mother recommended TCO to me, having had tremendous success there with her double knee replacement.

Upon arrival, Dr. Ryan Hoel examined me thoroughly and ordered imaging. He was able to diagnose the issue very quickly. Considering there was substantial weakness in my right arm, there was a chance strength might not return if left untreated. Because I was young and physically active, Dr. Hoel suggested surgical repair by means of an artificial disc replacement. This type of surgery was a novel idea to me and I was initially apprehensive at the prospect. However, my anxieties were dispelled immediately by Dr. Hoel’s tremendous confidence in his abilities to perform the surgery, as well as its outcome. The surgery was performed in early November and it was masterfully done. The strength in my right arm is 90% restored, and continues to improve weekly. I no longer experience pain or numbness, and the scar at the front of my neck has faded and is hardly discernible. I highly recommend Dr. Hoel to anyone who has suffered a neck injury and is considering the prospect of surgical repair. He is a master of his craft and no one could have done better.

I had an injury to my neck and after several visits to various providers, I was referred to Dr. Brenner. The difference was night and day. He talked me through my options, both from an educator perspective and as a healthcare provider, giving me a wealth of information. He also welcomed my family to ask questions. The time from the first appointment through 5 months post-op has been amazing, including calls to check in, post-op appointments and a genuine care on his part. You could not have a better team on your side!

I want to share my experience with Dr. Norberg, the surgical team and of course the TCO admin team for my repaired clavicle! First off, 10 out of 5 stars would highly recommend my experience. If you are hurt, stop reading, go straight there. I was involved in a “little” bicycle crash with a significant fracture to my clavicle…. multiple breaks with a bone fragment lodged into my trapezoid muscle. As you could imagine there was significant pain. I reached out to TCO as a second opinion as I was originally told to just “let it heal”. For context, I live two hours away from Edina, so distance and pain level were significant factors at play for me! The team got me taken care of right away. That night I booked the first available appointment out of desperation but figured my next day would be spent shuffling between multiple people and lots of time at scheduling desks. To my surprise (and much relief) when I walked in that next day, the TCO team had worked behind the scenes to get me to the proper specialist. Dr. Norberg walked me though the options and ultimately recommended surgery. What a huge relief to have a path forward! Based on the severity of the injury and of course pain level, TCO teams re-arranged their schedules and wiggled me into the first available surgery the Friday  before Independence Day weekend! I cannot imagine what that pain level would have been over a long summer holiday! The surgery turned out great, some additional metal and screws inside me but at 9 weeks, I am fully healed, feeling strong, and ahead of all projections. I am a fitness junkie and cannot express my appreciation for Dr. Norberg, Kayla Mork PA-C, Valerie, the surgical team members and of course the great administration staff at TCO for getting me back to pre-accident form!

I was treating a 12-year-old neck problem with injections, but they became ineffective. My conditions became severe, and surgery was needed. I had severe neck pain, pain down both arms, and a huge loss of strength in my left arm. I am employed as a pilot, so the loss of strength in my left arm meant that my flying career was over. Dr. Wanderman assessed my problem, performed surgery, eliminated the pain and my arm strength returned. He made it possible for me to keep my job and get out of pain. To me, he is a Superhero! He is one of the kindest, smartest, and most professional doctors I have seen in my 63 years. He provides you with detailed information in a caring manner. Words can’t express the appreciation I have for Dr. Wanderman.

In January 2022, I was in a motor vehicle accident that caused a C6 fracture in my neck. I was able to get in with Dr. Omar in a timely manner and was very impressed! He is a very friendly doctor and explained everything to us. He showed us my x-rays and explained things in a way that I understood. Thank you so much.

Dr. Banks is the best orthopedic surgeon I have ever known. He has been our physician (for my wife and I) since 2004. When I say he’s the best, it is not only about his skills but the way he interacts with his patients and staff. Dr. Banks takes his time to listen carefully with respect to your concerns. He is a kind, knowledgeable person and is surrounded by very professional, friendly and helpful staff. My wife and I have had two surgeries each, performed successfully by him. My wife has had two cervical fusions and I have had two lumbar discectomies. Each surgery went very well and the recoveries were fast. My last surgery was done on December 22, 2020. I called it my ‘life saving surgery’ because the pain I had before it was gone. Big thanks Dr. Banks!

This testimonial is long overdue. I recovered so quickly I couldn’t wait to get back to my normal life. I had been dealing with issues with my C6-C7 area for years after returning from a tour in Iraq. Within a year I had put myself in the ER twice with excruciating pain in my chest and back. An MRI revealed that either I medical out from my job and forget about getting back in the gym or chance it with surgery. After meeting with Dr. Deal and his team, I had confidence that there was a good chance of fixing the disc in my back – or replacing it. I had the procedure in August. I don’t think my experience was typical but after surgery I refused to take any pain medication, as I had little to no pain. The day after returning home I walked 2 miles. Two weeks later, I got cleared to go back to work on light duty with restrictions. At 6 weeks, I was cleared early with no restrictions and returned to the gym. Now, six months later, it is as if the surgery never happened. I have no scar and no pain. I can’t thank Dr. Deal and his team enough for their professionalism and dedication to their profession. Thank you!

Dr. Kirksson was truly wonderful for me. He listens carefully and you really come to understand that he cares about you and wants to help you with your medical problem. Listening carefully and taking the time with a patient is rare today, but he does it naturally. His calm demeanor and thorough explanations immediately lowered my anxiety and stress levels. I initially saw him for problems with terrible pain with my neck that other doctors – surgeons – had said required surgery. He successfully treated my neck without surgery and it hasn’t bothered me since. Years later when I had persistent lower back pain, he was obviously my first choice. I recommend him to my friends and family, as needed, without hesitation.