Patient Testimonials

I wanted to share my experience for anyone who might be apprehensive or concerned about their surgery.  I was at TCO Eagan on August 7, 2023. My experience from start to finish was incredibly positive. Dr. O’Neill and his entire team, Isabel, Ann and the TCO team went above and beyond my expectations. I did a ton of research on the surgery I wanted and Dr. O’Neill was with me step by step. The preparation well in advance of surgery, information throughout the process, the thoughtfulness and support from the team the entire time was phenomenal. My left hip was bone on bone and I could barely walk to the mailbox. Today, I feel as if my hip is brand new. I am back in the game and my quality of life is amazing. Thank you really isn’t enough to say how grateful I am to Dr. O’Neill and the entire team.

I have been a patient of Dr. Meyer for 15 years. In this time he has given me relief from pain with seven successful surgeries (both hips, both knees, shoulder, arm, and a severely fractured ankle and foot). Dr. Meyer and his PA, Sommer Vaughn, have always been very caring, compassionate, and knowledgeable about my care. They listened to me as a patient and plans were made for necessary surgeries. These surgeries have enabled me to continue to enjoy a normal life in my later years. I am now 83 years young, enjoying my husband of 65 years, 4 children, 9 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren. I would advise anyone choosing orthopedic care to call TCO. It’s a close by facility.

Wow, where do I start. Dr. Arntson was such a professional from day one. He never told me what to do, but explained all possibilities in details so I could make an educated decision. I chose anterior hip replacement surgery. I highly recommend this approach. My recovery was quick and the pain went away quickly too. I had a friend that chose the posterior approach and he said at 4 weeks, I was so much farther ahead on my recovery than he was. I also recommend the NICE ICE suit which made 20 minutes of icing on and off very easy. I’d like to add that the entire staff of nurses, PT’s, X-ray staff, and others that helped me through this were wonderful. They really do care about your health and recovery. Great job, Dr. Arntson and staff.

I had hip surgery in March 2023. The efficiency and communication during this time was excellent. The care team kept us informed before, during and after the  surgery. I am very happy with the great job Dr. Bircher did.

Dr. Bircher is the most professional physician and with good bedside manner. I feel most comfortable talking with him. He did a great job with my right femur surgery. I’m very satisfied.

I had a one-year follow-up appointment with Heidi Bolgren, PA-C after having both of my hips replaced by Dr. Anseth. She gave me a glowing report and said come back in 10 years! A little over a year ago I couldn’t walk more than 20 steps without pain, and I needed to use a walker whenever I left the house (sometimes in the house too).  I couldn’t do much of anything and constantly took Advil/Tylenol. I never slept well at night due to the pain. I waddled when I walked because my legs were uneven lengths.  I turned down many social invitations because I was fairly miserable. My life was on hold.

Now I’m back to playing intense tennis twice a week, actively work in my garden digging up and replanting plants, working out a couple times of week at the gym, going on walks up to 10 miles, and standing for long periods in the kitchen. I’m doing it all without any pain and with legs that are the same length. I have no pain to keep me up at night. I can do any chore/activity around the house. And now I’M the one entertaining friends/family at my family.

Dr. Anseth gave me my life back! And not just any life, but a high-quality, super active one!  I am grateful every single day for the high quality surgical procedures and overall care I received from Team Anseth.  I will whole heartedly recommend his team to anyone who is needing hip or knee surgery.  And I’m thankful he believed that I could handle the second surgery only three months after the first one.

I had a hip replacement on June 20th with Dr. Owen O’Neill in Edina. I choose him because I had had a consultation with another physician and felt unsure about the whole process. When I met with Dr. O’Neill, he took the time to listen to me, explained the procedure thoroughly, and addressed other issues to help me recover better. I left my consultation motivated to get healthier and stronger. My surgery went great, recovery was really good, and I was back at work doing hair a month later! I had the most positive experience and would highly recommend Dr. O’Neill!

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.

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.