Patient Testimonials

After 10 years of knee problems, I was happy and scared to hear Dr. Comfort say I needed a total knee replacement. Happy to know I would have a working knee again, and scared at the prospect of surgery and rehab. The EXCEL Program was just what I needed. The encouraging calls from Molly and the team helped me with workouts ahead of surgery to better prepare me for recovery afterward. They took care of the on slot of paperwork from insurance and work. They scheduled the surgery and all my physical therapy appointments and post-op checks.

March 5th at the Blaine Orthopedic Surgery Center, Dr. Comfort and his surgical team worked their magic on me. I was in the recovery room for 15 minutes and then got out of bed for a walk to the lav. The over night suite at the surgery center was comfortable and well equipped. The nursing staff and physical therapist took excellent care of me. The next week at home I was blessed to have my husband taking good care of me. The first week is the worst, spinal block wears off and swelling sets in and having to get up and move every 2 hours day and night. But i got through it with my marriage still intact!

The next week is where the work begins. Physical therapy twice a week with daily home exercises. Brian and Katie at the TCO Vadnais Heights are the best! They have the right moves to get you back on track and pain will get you gain. Every week I am amazed at how much more I can do. I am just 5 weeks post surgery and have returned to my household routines and some of my social routines. Workouts at the YMCA are slow but sure and soon I’ll be returning to my pool workouts. I am looking forward to a summer stand up paddle boarding on area lakes and riding my bike. By late summer I hope to be back at work as a flight attendant and enjoying life with my new knee! Thank you Dr. Comfort and TCO team for giving me my freedom back!

Dr. O’Keefe and physical therapist Ron are fantastic. The EXCEL Program was awesome. All knee professionals and billing wasn’t confusing (very simple). Everything scheduled with therapy was very organized. They made me feel comfortable and confident that everything was well planned.

I had a left hip replacement through the TCO EXCEL Program done by Dr. Arntson and within a few weeks, I had no use for a walker or cane. The surgery was perfect and Dr. Arntson was always there if I had a question or a concern. I totally recommend Dr. Arntson!

I recently had a total knee replacement through Twin Cities Orthopedic and the EXCEL Surgery & Recovery program. My surgeon was Dr. Zachary Arntson, I could not be any happier with the results. I was so scared to do this surgery but it had to be done. I could not walk without being in a lot of pain. Dr. Arntson was compassionate, very informative and really listened to my concerns. After 5 weeks I am going back to work, It feels so good to be able to walk without pain. If you are thinking about doing a surgery soon I highly recommend meeting with Dr. Arntson you will not be disappointed.

After research, I made an appointment with Dr. Owen O’Neill for a consult regarding a knee replacement. After my first visit, I knew he was the one I wanted to perform the surgery. He took the time to go over and explain the x-rays; he used the model of the knee to explain the procedure and even though he had a long waiting list, we scheduled the surgery and I am glad I did. The whole process through TCO was excellent. From the staff at the Crosstown Surgery Center in Edina, to the follow up care at Aurora, to Dr. O’Neill’s care coordinator, Ann. They made sure I was aware of everything before and after my surgery and were there to answer any questions I had about the process and my recovery. I highly recommend Dr. Owen O’Neill and will use him again for any future orthopedic needs.

My first experience with Dr. Saterbak was in 1999 for the repair of my left ACL. We crossed paths again in 2005 for a right ACL. In the meantime, the progression of osteoarthritis was being monitored in my left knee. I had gone through medications and variable injection treatments. I felt I had come to the end of the road in the fall of 2016 with the amount of pain persisting in my left knee. At that time, a visit to Dr. Saterbak resulted in an appointment to thoroughly investigate the possibility of a total knee replacement. All evidence pointed to that procedure and it was then scheduled for March 2017.

The whole procedure was to be performed as part of TCO’s EXCEL Program. The intro to final PT program that covered all aspects of the replacement and lifted concerns of outcomes.

Blue Cross Blue Shield had no issues with the funding. That was huge! Additionally, I felt as though I was number 1 on the list with the work that went into my case – the pre-op, surgery, post-op, follow-ups and PT.

Count me as a satisfied consumer of the program.

Charlie W.

I thought the TCO EXCEL Program was great. This was my first surgery requiring an overnight stay and having such a comprehensive, well-explained process was really appreciated. Dr. Hunt gave a good high-level explanation of how it all worked and it exceeded my expectations. Once surgery was scheduled, everything went smoothly, was well explained, super simple billing process and Dr. Hunt and all my caregiving staff were friendly, professional and had me back on track for walking farther than I thought possible.

My knee replacement by Dr. Chris Meyer in the TCO EXCEL Program was excellent! The all-inclusive program from the beginning to the end through physical therapy was comprehensive and beyond my expectations. No hassle billing was so nice – it was the way it should be. Knowing the cost in a bundle makes it so much easier on the patient.

My right hip replacement performed by Dr. Mair was perfect. Everybody was great at Two Twelve Surgery Center. My pain was minimal due to how they managed it with their schedule. I was walking the evening of my surgery. I followed my directions from physical therapists and doctors, it’s like my hip was never replaced. Highly suggest both Dr. Mair and the TCO EXCEL Program.

I would love the chance to see Dr. Steven Meisterling again and thank him for giving me my life back! The first time I went to see him in St. Croix Falls, I could barely walk into the clinic because my knee hurt so bad and it was affecting my hip too so that was sore. He showed me the x-rays of my knee and how little cartilage I had left. I was advised to first try wearing a neoprene brace on my knee which made an amazing difference for a while.

By the time of my operation, I was very bow-legged and limping very badly. All of the staff that I had dealt with were extremely helpful. I felt very comfortable going into the operation; the pre-op nurse and anesthesiologist were very comforting. My recovery was smooth with no problems and the staff checked in on me frequently. I loved my physical therapist, Dan Stark, during my recovery process as well – he was very helpful and such a nice guy.

My whole experience with the EXCEL Program at TCO was great. I would definitely recommend TCO to anyone and will not hesitate to go back if I ever need any similar procedures.