Patient Testimonials

Today marks two years since I tripped over a gas pump hose, broke my femur, and shattered my hip. Luckily, Dr. Nielsen was the doctor on call. Not only is he a great surgeon, but he is also an inspirational leader to others. I am very grateful for his talent and expertise.

I had my right hip replaced by Dr. Dennis Vanden Berge in March 2026. The experience was better than I expected! Dr. Vanden Berge was extremely considerate and kind with every interaction. He went above and beyond any surgeon I have dealt with in the past. He was always available to answer questions and did not rush me out of appointments. I would absolutely recommend him to my friends and family.

I am so happy with the hip replacements I received by Dr. Owen O’Neill and his team. I can’t say enough good things about him and his whole team. I had my left hip done in August 2025 and my right hip done in April 2026. This minimally invasive Anterior approach was great. Dr. O’Neill has done over 4,000 of them so I felt at ease as I was preparing for the first surgery .

From the first phone call with Ann, his care coordinator, to the first visit with Dr. O’Neill then into surgery, I give them all an A+. The surgery itself was seamless and I loved the facility. I received my total hip replacements at the Orthopedic Institute at Two Twelve medical Center in Chaska. The anesthesia team and nurses were all excellent and super personable. I am a person who would much rather do physical therapy than have surgery as surgery makes me a little fearful. However, Dr. O’Neill is a pro, and the recovery was quite easy! I had pain for a few days afterwords but was fine with help from the pain meds.  After four to five days, I was only using acetaminophen and a stronger form of ibuprofen. I would encourage anyone who is thinking of having a hip replacement to look no further that Dr. Owen O’Neill.

Before I had my hips replaced, I was in pain whenever I would move – walking, getting in and out of the car, and any form of exercise. I also am a dancer by profession, and my hip pain made ballet very difficult as it was always painful. I can now walk without pain. I am almost eight weeks into recovery, and I will start to dance again very soon.

I need to also mention the excellence of Dr. O’Neill’s PA, Lauren Lisowski. She was great! Whenever I would call his team with a question after my surgery, Lauren would call back in such a timely way. She always respected my questions and would put my mind at ease. I tend to ask a lot of questions, and it was very helpful to have this service that Dr. O’Neill’s team provides.

Dr. Bircher is very nice and takes the time to listen. He did a great job on both my hip and knee replacements. I would recommend him to everyone.

I am only five weeks post-surgery and my hip is beginning to feel like it’s mine again. Each day my gait is feeling stronger, more balanced, and back to normal. I can’t thank Dr. Busse and his team enough for the opportunity to return to active and, what I know will be, pain-free walking. From the moment I met him, I could feel Dr. Busse’s compassion, understanding, and confidence during my appointment. Ashley, his PA, and Emily, his Care Coordinator, have been so supportive and professional. I trust and recommend Dr. Busse and his team completely. I am 73 years old and have no plans to slow down. Today, I believe that to be possible.

During my first meeting with Dr. O’Neill, he showed me the parts he would be using to perform my hip surgery and thoroughly explained the process. His team got in touch with me and discussed the EXCEL Program they use. They helped sign me up for a PT session with a therapist. After that session, I had a complete understanding of the whole process. Dr. O’Neill’s team also mailed me an EXCEL booklet that covered everything about my hip replacement so I could refer to it if I forgot anything.

The day of the surgery went exactly as it was described to me. The entire staff worked together well and the whole process was seamless. The first night I spent at the Omni Hotel for recovery was also a great experience. Way better and cleaner than a hospital! I would highly recommend Dr. O’Neill, TCO, and their EXCEL program to anyone. I am no longer in pain, and I can walk drastically better than I did before my surgery. Thank you to Dr. O’Neill and TCO staff!

I had both hips replaced by Dr. Samuel Carlson within a nine-month period. I waited longer before having the first side done in June 2025 because I had never had surgery before. I was hesitant so I tried an injection and physical therapy first until the pain became too debilitating. Once I had the surgery done, the recovery was so quick and easy that I didn’t wait as long to have the second side done in April 2026.

My recovery from the second surgery was even faster than the first. I am so happy with the results! I didn’t realize just how limiting it was to live with chronic pain and loss of mobility until it was lifted entirely. I can now do all the things you want to do again. I highly recommend Dr. Carlson and his team, including his PA-C, Jake Szalat, Care Coordinator, Melissa. Thank you to everyone who helped with my pre-op and post-op experience at TCO and the EXCEL Program at the Care Suites.

Dr. Jeremiah Johnson and his care team went out of their way to ensure maximum care was given. I had a hip repair six-months prior to my hip replacement that did not go well when I saw a different physician outside Twin Cities Orthopedics. I was nervous to have another surgery so quickly to correct prior mistakes. However, I have been super happy with the results of my surgery and would completely trust Dr. Johnson with any future surgeries at TCO.

When I was 61 years old, I was hit by a truck while riding my bicycle. I am not going to list all the traumatic injuries for the sake of brevity. In the emergency room my wife was told I might never leave a wheelchair. The next morning, Dr. Nielsen performed the first of what would be three reconstructive surgeries, on my shattered left femur. After the first surgery, Dr. Nielsen leveled with me. He said guys my age don’t bounce back after such extensive trauma. However, because of my physical conditioning at the time of the collision and my attitude, he was giving me a 50/50 chance of eventually walking without an aid. I know he was talking with my wife while I was out, because then he added, “If you don’t do anything stupid.” You have to know me to know how spot-on that observation is.

Five and a half years later,  I am training with a 70-pound ruck sack to summit Cloud Peak, Wyoming on our nation’s 250th Anniversary. The peak is just over 13,000 feet requiring a minimum round-trip hike of 25 miles. My youngest son, Patriot, and I are going to skirt the base and visit the only glacier in the Big Horn Range while we are up there. We will be hiking and camping in the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area for at least five days. That wouldn’t have been possible without the skill and dedication of Dr. Nielsen and the team that treated my injuries. Thank you!

I had my first hip replacement three years ago. When it came time for my second, my original surgeon had retired, and I was referred to Dr. Carlson. Although I wasn’t familiar with him; I did some research and was impressed by what I read. His expertise in the robotic?assisted anterior approach, along with his residency training at the Mayo Clinic, gave me the confidence to move forward. I am now six weeks post?op and couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. I am already back to golfing and will begin easing into my regular workout routine in the coming weeks. The recovery has been remarkably smooth, and I am extremely happy with the outcome. I highly recommend Dr. Carlson.