Patient Testimonials

From getting my surgery approved until I was released after my surgery, Dr. Davis and his staff were great to work with. Dr. Davis did a disc replacement in my neck, between the C5 and C6 vertebra. There was instant pain relief in my neck and shoulders. The entire TCO staff and Dr. Davis were great and helped in every way to see that I was taken care of. TCO is a great place and I will recommend them and Dr. Davis to everyone who needs orthopedic care.

had my first back surgery in 1998. It was a L4-L5 discectomy. I did not recover well from that surgery. I was left with a lot of scar tissue that was interfering with nerves and causing lots of pain. I had my second back surgery in 2000, which was also a L4-L5 discectomy. This surgery left even more scar tissue and so my journey with pain continued.

For the next twenty years, I battled with low back pain, low leg pain and foot pain. I lost count of how many steroid injections I received in this time frame (I am guessing around 30). I had to treat my pain with pain medication. I was taking a narcotic pain medication for 22 years. Not too many days went by that I didn’t need to take the pills. I also had three RFAs (radio frequency ablation) and plenty of physical therapy.

In late 2019, my back pain, leg and foot pain were becoming unbearable. My pain specialist recommended I go see Dr. Frederick Harris, which turned out to be the greatest advice I have ever received. My first impression of Dr. Harris was awesome! He was friendly, patient and a great listener. I knew right away that I liked him and, most importantly, I trusted him. He ordered an MRI so that he could see exactly what was going on with my low back.

I went home and read Dr. Harris’ bio on the TCO web site. He was working as an engineer for NASA. But he know in his heart, he was here to make a difference in people’s lives. He decided to chase him dream of becoming a neurosurgeon.

My second appointment was where I learned I had a herniation at L4-L5 and L5-S1. I also learned that I broke my back! The bone that held L5 and S1 vertebrae’s together had broken clean through and my spine shifted out of place. Dr. Harris performed my 3rd back surgery. He removed the disks between L4-L5 and L5-S1, removed the broken bone, fused L4 through S1 with metal spacers, two rods and six screws. He also, very meticulously, freed up all the nerves from scar tissue. This is what separates Dr. Harris from everyone else!

My full recovery took a year but I feel great! I don’t need any pain medication or treatments. I do stretching and an exercise program daily to keep my back and core strong. I am looking forward to playing golf this summer. The results of this surgery has changed my life! Dr. Frederick Harris is an angel sent from heaven! Thank you for following your dreams. I can’t thank you enough Dr. Harris, but THANK YOU!

I recently had microdiscectomy surgery with Dr. Hoel on 3/3/2021 after injuring my back on 2/16/2021. His P.A., Jason Ash, reviewed MRI results with me on 2/25/2021, which revealed an extruded disc herniation impinging on my L3 nerve root. I was in absolute agony and was unable to stand or lay without excruciating pain, and was experiencing weakness in my leg. Dr. Hoel kindly worked me into his schedule for a surgical consultation that very same day.

He was wonderful – very compassionate and understanding of the intense pain I was in, patient answering all my questions, and thorough in presenting treatment options with corresponding risks and rewards. I opted to move forward with surgery as soon as possible because the pain was incapacitating. Dr. Hoel’s team fit me into his schedule the following week and my surgery was a complete success! I’m now pain free and ever so grateful for Dr. Hoel’s capable and compassionate care, and for everyone at TCO who helped me swiftly get the treatment I needed. My experience at M Health Fairview was also great, and it was a bonus to hear my pre-op and post-op nurses sing Dr. Hoel’s praises! Thanks again!

I can’t say enough wonderful things about Dr. Hoel. Prior to going to TCO, I had been diagnosed multiple times over the years for a back muscle strain. He immediately linked sciatica to my back pain, and ordered an MRI to discover that I had a badly herniated disc. I tried physical therapy and a cortisone shot previously, without any relief. Because I was in such pain that I couldn’t live my life normally, I opted to have a microdiscectomy. Friends and family had me scared of the potential risks for surgery. But Dr. Hoel explained the procedure clearly, and took time to answer all my questions. He was extremely sympathetic to my pain and situation, and his care coordinator was able to schedule the surgery for the time frame I had requested. He explained the procedure clearly, and took time to answer all my questions. The surgery team was wonderful in their compassion and the care they provided me. It’s been two weeks since my surgery and I am happy to say I’m nearly pain free – it feels like a miracle compared to my symptoms prior to the surgery. I can’t thank Dr. Hoel and the entire TCO staff enough. I highly recommend TCO and Dr. Hoel. Thank you!

Dr. Banks is the best orthopedic surgeon I have ever known. He has been our physician (for my wife and I) since 2004. When I say he’s the best, it is not only about his skills but the way he interacts with his patients and staff. Dr. Banks takes his time to listen carefully with respect to your concerns. He is a kind, knowledgeable person and is surrounded by very professional, friendly and helpful staff. My wife and I have had two surgeries each, performed successfully by him. My wife has had two cervical fusions and I have had two lumbar discectomies. Each surgery went very well and the recoveries were fast. My last surgery was done on December 22, 2020. I called it my ‘life saving surgery’ because the pain I had before it was gone. Big thanks Dr. Banks!

Dr. Hoel worked with me to diagnose and treat a herniated disc in my back. My entire experience with Dr. Hoel was outstanding. The things I appreciated the most was that he acknowledged the pain I was experiencing with sympathy and understanding, and he clearly explained the treatment options available to me as well. Due to being unable to walk or sit without intense pain, I chose the surgery option. Lastly, the surgery was an outstanding success! The pain was gone immediately after surgery. I highly recommend Dr. Hoel, both for the understanding and respect he showed me, as well as for his skill as a surgeon. Thank you Dr. Hoel!

I want to thank Dr. Harris so much for taking care of me and getting me back on my feet. When it looked like it may be days before a spot was open for surgery, it felt like he moved mountains and went above and beyond to make things happen and got me into surgery first thing the next day. That was the care and relief I needed. He has an incredible team working with him that got results. I would like to thank them as well, as I know they also went out of their way to provide me with great care in such a short time. Dr. Harris is an absolute miracle worker, the relief from pain due to the herniated disc was immediate and such a huge relief. He is a GREAT surgeon, great man, and hero to me.

I met with Dr. Deal for pain and numbness in my neck, shoulder and arm. He was so thorough, scheduling a CT scan and EMG nerve test to rule out potential issues and really “see” what was going on. Dr. Deal performed a two-level fusion on my C4-C5 and C5-C6 at the end of June. I had relief from my pain immediately. The recovery was quite quick. I just had my three month follow up and I’m good to go. I am so grateful for Dr. Deal and the whole team at TCO. I would recommend them to everyone.

I would recommend Dr. Deal to any friend or family member. I had an L4-5 microdisectomy and Dr. Deal and his staff were supportive and experts throughout the process and my outcome was very positive!

Dr. Eggers gave me hope that I can get back to my normal life with the treatment that he thinks will fix my issues with my back. He answered my questions and gave me a feeling of positivity that this will work.