Patient Testimonials

My experience with Dr. O’Keefe and at TCO has been great! From the team of doctors to physical therapists, they have been top notch. They are very attentive to patient needs and are very caring. I highly recommend TCO Otsego!

Dr. Kelly and his team provided terrific care for my shoulder injury and subsequent surgery. I appreciated the professional care, both at TCO’s Edina-Crosstown clinic and Eagan Orthopedic Surgery Center. Dr. Kelly’s assistant, Kaici, is a gift to the team as she responded promptly to my physical therapist regarding treatment plans and provided a personal touch of encouragement in the healing process. I would highly recommend Dr. Kelly.

I want to extend my gratitude to Dr. Barry. This thank you is very long overdue! The past 2.5 years (actually 10 years) have been a long journey for me. It was July 2018 when I first met Dr. Barry for my shoulder pain. I then had rotator cuff surgery and labrum repair on the right side in October 2018. I continued on in my recovery with PT and was discharged, but continued to struggle with ongoing pain and significant discomfort. Then I started seeing a new PT in May 2019, which eventually led me to being referred back to Dr. Barry in October 2019, due to possible scar tissue adhesion on my left side. This was possibly the root cause of all of my issues on the right side.

It was at this time that Dr. Barry referred me to Dr. Cantwell for a plastic surgery consult on the scar tissue. Dr. Cantwell performed surgery on the left chest wall on January 15, 2020. It was indeed a scar tissue adhesion, almost 3 inches long, caused by the chest tube inserted between my ribs when I was born prematurely almost 45 years ago. This scar tissue adhesion had also “tacked down” my muscles, not allowing them to move. With this surgery by Dr. Cantwell, it finally released my muscles to move freely again.

I want to thank Dr. Barry for listening to me when the second PT referred me back to him, and then for referring me to Dr. Cantwell. The surgery he performed changed my life! Without this surgery I would still be in significant discomfort and pain. I would still be unable to perform many activities of daily living without pain. I have been in extensive PT, and still am in PT with another provider. I continue to make progress each week, correcting all of the overcompensations, and am doing things I have not been able to do in a very long time!

This scar tissue adhesion appeared about 10 years ago. As time went on, it limited my mobility and caused me to create significant over competencies; hence my right side taking over for the left’s immobility, causing the damage to my right rotator cuff and labrum. Over the years, I had shown this ridge/deformity to various health care providers, only for it to be dismissed or they would say they didn’t know what it was.

This experience has truly been a journey. It deepened my faith and helped me push for answers on the strange deformity on my left side, as I felt there had to be more of a reason for my ongoing pain, discomfort, and inability to get better physically on my right side. And there most certainly was a reason! THANK YOU AGAIN to Dr. Barry for listening, acknowledging my concerns and referring me to Dr. Cantwell. There are not enough words to express my gratitude and thankfulness to you!

In 2007, my right shoulder was bone on bone. The smallest movements were very painful and I was limited. My family physician recommended that I see Dr. Edward Kelly at TCO. Surgery and replacement was recommended. What a wonderful relief! Dr. Kelly performed an amazing surgery. I have no pain and have full use of my right arm to this day in 2021. You know who I will recommend to anyone needing surgery – Dr. Kelly! I am 92 years young.

Dr. Ridley re-attached my bicep on November 20th and the surgery was a complete success! After therapy, I have almost full movement in my arm and am able to use it without any problems. The follow-up visits were great and he answered all of my questions.

Dr. David Anderson’s surgeries enabled me to restore both knee and shoulder activities within record time. His knowledge and care are superb!

A quick note to express my gratitude on the tremendous job Dr. Kelly did on my rotator cuff surgeries. Two weeks ago I was on a beach, throwing a football with my son, and it was the first time in 25 years that activity was pain-free. I have resumed all of my desired physical activities and cannot thank Dr. Kelly enough.

Dr. Ockuly met me on a short notice appointment, following my primary physician’s referral on the same day. He was knowable and acknowledging of my urgency and impatience for answers to rehabilitation or surgical repair of my broken shoulder. He recommended surgery for the best, cleanest, and most efficient result in getting me back on track to my active lifestyle as soon as possible. It was my first surgical procedure in 48 years of my life and it went very well. He was very communicative in follow-up and referral to skilled rehabilitation experts. I was pain free within a couple weeks of surgery and am now back to full activity and strength 6 months post-surgical repair of my broken clavicle. Thank you TCO team.

I highly recommend Dr. Hess. He was my physician for rotator cuff repair. Dr. Hess was professional, as well as very personable. Prior to surgery he explained the procedure in detail and told me expected out comes. His staff offered great follow up support. Thanks to his wonderful work, I am back enjoying golf with no pain.

I am a very active person who had been living for several years with a bad shoulder after a fly-fishing accident. I was hoping the shoulder could heal on its own, but finally realized that it wouldn’t, and got an MRI. I was frustrated at how my shoulder joint would give out, cause pain, and I was becoming increasingly worried about how it would become an even bigger problem as I aged.  The MRI showed a near complete tear of my subscapularis tendon and partial tear of my supraspinatus tendon. I took the MRI to Dr. Wulf at TCO and two other highly regarded and experienced Twin Cities shoulder surgeons at prominent clinics.

The two other surgeons looked at the MRI and told me there was nothing they could do for me. They said the subscapularis muscle had atrophied too much to be surgically reattached. They both suggested PT and that at some point I may need either a complete shoulder replacement or surgery to graft some of my pectoral muscle in place of the subscapularis. Dr Wulf, on the other hand, was able to look at my MRI and see that while there was atrophy, there was still enough viable muscle to allow reattachment.  He told me that even if only half of the muscle remained, reattaching the tendons and getting the tissues back in place around the joint would provide the stability I needed to regain performance and keep the shoulder from failing.

Dr. Wulf’s prognosis was what I wanted to hear, but I was still apprehensive given the two other opinions.  I scheduled two additional appointments with Dr. Wulf where I inundated him with questions.  He patiently answered them all, never wavered, and this encouraged me to put my faith in his knowledge, experience and surgical skill.

And he was 100% correct. I could tell early on in my recovery that this was an excellent repair, and that belief has only grown.  After seven months, I am back playing tennis again.  I can serve and stretch for a volley without hurting my shoulder. When I go to the gym, I can do flies without my shoulder giving out.  I can throw a ball and a Frisbee normally. I can put a bike up on ceiling hooks in the garage. I can scoop hard ice cream with my right hand.

Dr. Wulf restored my shoulder. He was the only surgeon who had the insight and experience to see that reattachment surgery was a real possibility, rather than seeing only options of last resort. His surgical skill was evident in my quick, largely pain free recovery and my joint strength. I am grateful that because of his insight, experience, and skill, I am able to regain strength and performance and can continue doing the things I love.