Prominent Orthopaedic Surgeons Lead Joint Replacement Center

Orthopaedic surgeons Brad Penenberg, MD, and Sean Rajaee, MD, have been named co-directors of the Center for Outpatient Hip and Knee Surgery at Cedars-Sinai. Together they will lead the effort in delivering outstanding patient care and improving the patient experience for outpatient hip and knee surgery.  

The Center for Outpatient Hip and Knee Surgery at Cedars-Sinai, which opened in December 2020, provides the convenience of an ambulatory surgery center with the support of a world-class medical center. Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics Department is consistently ranked among the country’s best by U.S. News & World Report.

"Through their leadership, Drs. Penenberg and Rajaee, renowned hip and knee arthroplasty surgeons, will enhance the current state of orthopaedic surgical care and continue to innovate in the approach to minimally invasive and outpatient surgery,” said Mark Vrahas, MD, chair of Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics. 

Currently more than 90% of Cedars-Sinai patients getting hip replacements and more than 80% receiving knee replacements can be discharged within 24 hours. This includes many who go home without an overnight stay at Cedars-Sinai.

Designed to deliver the best results of surgical care while offering an accelerated recovery, same-day outpatient surgery helps patients avoid hospital admission and optimizes their stay in a healthcare setting.

"The number of people needing hip and knee replacements, or reconstructions, is rising rapidly as the population ages and more people stay active as they grow older," said Rajaee. "By getting people home sooner, we can get more patients scheduled for their surgeries."

Advances in minimally invasive surgery, anesthesiology, imaging technology and pain control also have allowed outpatient joint replacement to become more suitable for many patients.

Previously, "It was often the general anesthesia that kept patients in the hospital for additional days after surgery," Penenberg said, pointing to temporary side effects such as low blood pressure, dizziness and nausea. "Now, regional anesthesia's side effects are milder and shorter-lasting, enabling patients to get back on their feet more quickly."

The expert team at the Center for Outpatient Hip and Knee Surgery is made up of pioneers in the field of orthopaedics who continually research, adapt and apply advancements in treatments and technology. By collaborating across care teams, the center can provide the most comprehensive and personalized treatment options to minimize pain and improve outcomes.

Penenberg, who is currently chief of Arthroplasty and director of the Hip and Knee Fellowship Training Program at Cedars-Sinai, is a graduate of the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., where he was the recipient of the Julius S. Neviaser Award in Orthopaedic Surgery.

Penenberg completed his general surgical training at Albert Einstein Hospital in New York City and his residency at Tufts Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Following residency, he completed specialty training as a fellow in reconstructive surgery of the hip and knee at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Rajaee, who has a strong orthopaedic clinical and research background and interest in advancing technologies within total joint arthroplasty, is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine. He completed residency in orthopaedic surgery at Cedars-Sinai and subsequently completed an orthopaedic surgery fellowship in hip and knee arthroplasty at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

In 2020 Rajaee was elected as an American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Health Policy Fellow.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai blog: New Center for Outpatient Hip and Knee Surgery Improves Access