Patient Testimonials

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 back fusion surgery in 2019. Dr DuBois did a great job. It has been years now and I continue to feel great.

I’ve had multiple spine/back surgeries, the most recent was 4 months ago. I chose Dr. Banks for my recent surgery and I’m very happy I did. He spent time understanding my issue and tried several non-invasive attempts at reducing my pain. Eventually we decided surgery was the best option. Three months after the procedure I was doing things I haven’t been able to do without pain for a long time. I’m feeling so much better. Dr. Banks is an excellent spine surgeon and I would chose him again without hesitation.

It is with gratitude that I write this testimonial for Dr. Hoel, his PA-C, Christina Erdmann and his care coordinator, Julie Patricelli. In January 2023, Dr. Hoel performed my cervical fusion which was necessitated by my myelomalacia. This condition caused me to lose my balance and drop things. Almost immediately after the surgery, I noted a reduction in my symptoms, which was a bonus since the goal of the surgery was simply to stop the progression of my condition. Not only were the surgical results excellent and the recovery very tolerable, but also my interaction with Dr. Hoel, Christina and Julie could not have been better. All three of them responded to my many questions promptly and with patience.

My spinal surgery with Dr. Omar has been a very positive experience. He explains the process well, is conscientious and caring. I am glad he was referred to me.

I had severe pain in my back. I visited Twin Cities Orthopedics and was lucky to get a timely appointment with Dr. Omar. He was attentive, kind and caring. His diagnosis was to the point. Not too long after our meeting, he performed surgery on my back and I could not be happier. I am thankful to Dr. Omar and TCO for my health the wonderful surgery.

I wanted to thank Dr. Maura Hartigan for the care she provided me. She helped with the ongoing pain in my back, neck and head due to arthritis that has taken over my body the last several years. I had this same treatment done 3 years ago by another spine specialist. It 100% helped me for 3 years with severe back, neck, and arm pain. Dr. Maura Hartigan was very kind, caring, and did a great job helping me transfer my file to her from another specialist. Dr. Hartigan and her team were kind and caring. She explained the narrowing going on in my back that was not talked about from my last specialist. I’m so thankful I was referred to Dr. Hartigan. I’m so grateful to her and her team for such great care and helping with my ongoing pain.

After a 2.5 year reoccurrence of a herniated lumbar disc, I found myself with pain so intense in my right leg. I couldn’t stand up and put equal weight on both legs until I spent an hour trying to walk around my dining room table while holding onto the chairs. After that “warm up” exercise, I could then walk cautiously throughout the rest of the day. By evening, all I could do was go to bed early and start the entire process over again the next day. After more than a month of this cycle, I met with Dr. Hoel and he outlined some possible options like physical therapy, cortisone shot, or a micro discectomy. He reviewed each alternative and let me make my own decision. I was reluctant to proceed with surgery of any kind even though this procedure was less invasive than others and he had performed hundreds of these in 2022 with a high rate of success. He left me confident that the surgical option was the right step for me. Immediately after the actual surgery, I felt near total relief in my right leg. Although the days and weeks that have followed have come with some morning leg pain, by the 7th week post-surgery, I was nearly 100% pain free.

I certainly attribute my successful outcome to Dr. Hoel’s experience and skill, as well as his support staff, Christine and Julie. Any time I would call into his office, his staff returned my call promptly and offered advice to my immediate questions. On my last appointment with Dr. Hoel (7 weeks post-surgery), he expressed confidence that I should feel total relief with a little more healing time and offered specialized physical therapy if I wished to pursue that. Furthermore, he indicated that I should not experience a reoccurrence of this herniation again and that left me with more ease than at any time during the entire process. From this entire experience I have come to believe this area of medicine requires astute science, but also some degree of art as well. As a result, I couldn’t recommend more highly Dr. Hoel and his support team to anyone with spine/nerve issues.

I feel like a new person! I started experiencing pain in my hip, which led to tingles and numbness down my left leg. The pain was often so severe I could hardly walk, use stairs, sit or stand for more than a minute or two. It turns out I had a herniated disc. Dr. Omar was the only surgeon I met with, and I was immediately impressed by his energy, knowledge on the issue, and what it would take to fix it. My surgery went very well with zero issues, and I experienced immediate relief. I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Omar and his team, including his assistant Julia who was very responsive and helpful with scheduling and insurance questions.

Dr. Banks was excellent when our 14 year old daughter had to have spinal fusion and decompression. He made sure she was taken care of and did an awesome job. We are very grateful for him and now our daughter wants to be a doctor herself. Thanks Dr. Banks!