Patient Testimonials

I had very bad pain before surgery. I woke up from surgery and the pain was 100% gone. I’m extremely happy and satisfied with Dr. Hoel. He was great!

I couldn’t be happier than the outcome of my surgery! Dr. Hoel and his team are the best! I felt like I was in the best care because of his optimism and the way he made me feel at ease. I had total confidence in him doing my surgery after I first met with him and his staff. Also, I could not have had my surgery done if it wasn’t for his care coordinator. She went out of her way to get my surgery done because of a mishap with insurance. I would totally recommend Dr. Hoel 100%!

Dr. Bircher did revision surgery on May 25, 2023. He replaced a previous total knee replacement. He was thorough in his explanation of the procedure and the inherent risks. The surgery went well and the results border on miraculous. In 6 weeks I was climbing stairs with only minor difficulty and driving. In 8 weeks I was back to work and resuming most normal activities. Thank you Dr. Bircher.

I am grateful that Dr. Jeremiah Johnson was the on-call trauma surgeon when I needed emergency surgery on a weekend. He is bright and compassionate. He is an analytical and innovative problem-solver. He is astute and attentive, nothing falls through the cracks. In addition, he has assembled an amazing support team. My recovery will take time and it’s comforting to know that they are there.

I ruptured my quadricep tendon a year ago. It tore right off the knee cap and one week later, Dr. Kelly surgically repaired it. With plenty of physical therapy, and one year later, I am back to normal. I am running, playing tennis, paddle boarding etc. It’s wonderful! I am completely 100% satisfied.

A great big thank you to Dr. Christopher Meyer for getting and keeping me back on the Pickleball courts. From my Meniscus repairs on both knees to my rotor cuff pain, I can’t thank you enough. Also thank you to Sommer Vaughan, PA-C who was also there to answer any questions and assist with my shots.

I was greatly impressed with the ankle joint replacement I received from Dr. Mittelsteadt. I had very little pain through the whole procedure and recovery. I was back to doing most of my normal activities in 4 months. My ankle feels great. I was extremely pleased with the way I was treated at TCO, and particularly by Dr. Mittelsteadt.

For hip replacement, Dr. Knowlan exclusively uses the anterior (front) approach, which offers a faster recovery time than the posterior (rear) approach. A layman’s view is that the posterior approach involves cutting of muscle, while the anterior method allows the surgeon to push muscles aside. The anterior method requires more expertise on the part of the surgeon, because the view of the hip joint is more restricted.

My surgery went unbelievably well and I’m 83 years old. I barely had any pain and took just Tylenol for a few days. I went to a wedding 4 days after surgery (using a walker). Shortly after that I switched to a cane, which I ditched about 2-3 weeks after surgery. I was driving 3 weeks post-surgery, even though surgery was for my right hip.

I began pre-op exercises about a month before surgery and have been doing the post-op exercises (it is now 7 weeks since surgery). It is important to do these to strengthen key muscles since it reduces recovery time. Dr. Knowlan says I don’t have any restrictions for movement now and I can golf.

Dr. Knowlan’s team was wonderful. Also, everyone at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater was very caring. Even the food was excellent!

Dr. Steven Meisterling is an expert at hip replacements. He is intelligent, professional, kind, patient and a fantastic surgeon! He performed a total hip replacement 8 months ago and I am thrilled with the outcome. He and his dedicated team provided me with excellent care. I definitely give him my highest recommendation. I will return to him if I ever need the other hip done.

Dr. Wanderman has an amazing bedside manner, an easy going approach, and is very good at explaining exactly what she is doing step by step. Highly recommend her!