Patient Testimonials

The pain and limitation of motion in the right hip is completely gone! I am doing more physically and am in better shape than in the past 5 years. I don’t run but use the elliptical trainer and Stairmaster at the gym. I feel better than I have in 7 years, no pain and full range of activities. Thank you Dr. Knowlan!

Twin Cities Orthopedics,

I had my left hip totally replaced on March 20th, 2017. This was my second hip replacement, and I was invited to participate in the EXCEL program at TCO, where I would be having my surgery and recovery done in a non-hospital setting. It was a great way to get this done. My surgery was scheduled early in the morning at the surgery center, and after coming out of the anesthesia, I was brought by van to an assisted living facility. There, I had a room to myself with my care giving staff in the room next to mine. They provided excellent around the clock care including checking on my well being and physical therapy sessions. I was ready to go home by 11:00am the very next day.

The staff members I came into contact with through the entire process were all great! Very professional and caring people that were, in my opinion, some of the best care givers out there. I had Dr. O’Keefe as my surgeon and he did a great job with my hip replacement (he had done my right hip back in 2014 as well).

I’d surely recommend the EXCEL program for anyone qualified to do it. For me, it was a great way to get my hip replacement done. I’m enjoying being able to do the activities I enjoy a lot more comfortably now.

Thanks,
Michael C.

I had a hip replacement over 6 years ago and have had problems with the hip ever since.  I went to about ten different orthopedic surgeons to try and figure out what was wrong and nobody could figure out what the problem was.  I went to Dr. O’Neill and he determined what the problem was and performed a hip revision in April 2016.  I still have a little muscle soreness but the hip is much improved from before.  Unfortunately, I was unable to have the anterior approach performed but a number of people I know did have that procedure with Dr. O’Neill and they had excellent results.  Also, the staff at North Memorial were superb.

I am a 47-year-old female that had my right hip replaced in April 2016. Dr. Comfort encouraged me to have the replacement when my quality of life was impacted. That time came and I am so glad that I had the operation. I have been pain free since the operation and far more active than I have been in years. Dr. Comfort genuinely wanted to improve my quality of life and for that, I thank him. The entire experience with Dr. Comfort, the TCO team and the EXCEL Program was excellent.

I am another very satisfied patient of Dr. O’Neill‘s. Since my surgery a little over a year ago I have recommended Dr. O’Neill to a half dozen friends who are also in need of a replacement hip. He is the best!

I have been pain free since my surgery July 13, 2016.  It was scary but everyone was great.  Dr. Peterson always had such confidence. He was so sure of himself he got me to also believe in him.   I’m so glad I did aside from the immediate pain from the recovery process which was not fun. I would recommend Dr. Peterson and I would do it again.

I had arthritis on my hip and it wasn’t too annoying, but with my Parkinson’s I had two bad falls. My hip must have moved because I was bone on bone and it was extremely painful after that.  I tried shots and therapy, but after the last fall I couldn’t get the surgery done fast enough.  If you are considering this surgery don’t suffer, get it done and improve your quality of life.

Dr. Butterfield fixed my 95 year-old mother’s broken femur.  Within only a few months’ time, she was “up and at ‘em” with the aid of a walker.  Today, she navigates short distances without aid.  From pre-op through the mending process, Dr. Butterfield has earned our respect, trust, and appreciation by exceeding expectations in every way. We see him as a highly skilled surgeon whose valued time and attention are thoughtfully shared.  We look forward to his charming follow-up appointments. 

Randy Wittman, former NBA player and coach, had been experiencing continual knee and hip pain for 20-plus years before he came to Twin Cities Orthopedics’ Brian O’Neill. Dr. O’Neill performed hip surgery for Randy, and then a knee replacement 6 weeks later.

With help from TCO’s EXCEL Program and Dr. O’Neill, Randy was able to return to his regular lifestyle, traveling, playing golf, and walking without pain. “I’ve gone through a lot of surgeries—back, three knee replacement operations—and the EXCEL Program was the best. It wasn’t like being in a hospital. I went from the surgery to a private suite, and was connected to a nurse for the whole process of both my hip and knee—that nurse is like a sister to me now,” says Wittman. “And for insurance and billing, you get one bill. That’s it, at the end of the process. It made everything so much easier for me to use the EXCEL Program.”

*Randy Wittman’s story was featured in the September ’16 Issue of MPLS St. Paul Magazine. See more here

The EXCEL program sounded too good to be true. However, I had a nice comfortable suite, no ugly hospital gown and I felt much more at ease than in a hospital. Instead of feeling exhausted when leaving the hospital after surgery, I felt somewhat rested and closer to “normal.” I even got to drink a coke!

I highly recommend the EXCEL program. The care was great and I felt very comfortable there.

I am an active person and a professional gardener. I was able to work this spring after having surgery at the end of January. I got a lot of support and encouragement from Dr. Mair and Erin. I am even planning a backpacking trip this fall. Last year I was afraid these things would not be possible.

I had a very successful total left hip replacement in November 2011. The surgeon used the posterior approach procedure.

In May 2016 Dr. O’Neill performed an equally successful total hip replacement on my right side using the anterior approach procedure.

There are significant differences in the recovery process between these two approaches.

In the posterior method I used a walker/cane about 2 1/2 weeks and the discomfort was greater. I was back walking 18 holes of golf in about six weeks.

After the anterior procedure used by Dr. O’Neill, I started walking unaided (no cane) on day 2 after surgery. On day 7, post-surgery, I started putting and chipping at the golf course. On day 12, I was walking 3 miles most days at 90% of full stride. By week 3, I was walking 4-6 miles most days at 100%.

My wife and I are going hiking in the Italian Alps in August 2016.