Patient Info Hub

This is a decision based on a comprehensive evaluation of multiple factors including diagnostic tests, clinical history and clinical exam.  The decision can be unique for each individual patient.  Please schedule a consultation with Dr. Rajaee to have this discussion in our Los Angeles office.

Patients are typically up and walking on the day of surgery.  Most patients can do most things by 6 weeks after surgery. Keep in mind, everyone is different and your experience may vary.

Patients are typically up and walking on the day of surgery.  Most patients can do most things by 6 weeks after surgery. Keep in mind, everyone is different and your experience may vary.

Dr. Rajaee performs surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles as well as Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center.  

Patients are typically up and walking on the day of surgery.  Most patients can do most things by 6 weeks after surgery but a full 12 weeks should be allowed to recover to a more comfortable state. Keep in mind, everyone is different and your experience may vary.

Surgical approach is individualized to each patient.  Dr. Rajaee offers a wide range of minimally invasive surgical approaches to the hip including (Direct Anterior Approach, and a Mini-Posterior Approach).  

Dr. Rajaee prefers to use a “plastic surgery” layered wound closure with sutures underneath the skin which dissolve with time whenever possible. This allows for the best healing of incisions without the need for staple removal. In some cases, particularly for revision surgeries, non-absorbable stitches or staples may be needed to be used.

At the time of surgery, a waterproof bandage will be placed on your incision and you can shower right after surgery. If you have leakage from around the bandage or you have questions or concerns about the dressing or your wound, please call our office immediately 310-423-4566. You should remove your dressing 7 days after surgery and leave it open to air after that.  No submerging in water until 6-8 weeks after surgery and Dr. Rajaee has given the “OK”.

In general, for the first 12 weeks after total hip replacement surgery, patients are advised to avoid running, pivoting and jumping in order to not compromise healing and fixation. We also ask patients to avoid extremes of hip motion to avoid the hip from dislocating which is a potential risk after surgery.  Similarly if you want to perform activities such as yoga that require more range of motion, please ask us at the time of your office visit and we can discuss specific options for you.

A number of factors determine return to work such as the type of procedure performed, the job description (ie manual labor, desk work), the commute etc. In general however, patients who undergo a total hip replacement may feel capable of returning to desk work within 3 weeks of the time of surgery.  Six weeks for return to more active work.  For patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery, most patients are comfortable returning to work 6 weeks after surgery.  We can provide a maximum recovery time of 12 weeks.

We have nurses and physician assistants who are available to help you before and after surgery to answer any of your questions or concerns. Ideally, we recommend that you call us at 310-423-4566 during normal business hours to have your questions answered by someone who knows Dr. Rajaee protocols and knows you as a patient.

A deep venous thrombosis (aka a blood clot) can be a troublesome complication after a hip or knee replacement especially if the clot travels to the lung. To decrease the risk of such an event, patients are typically placed on a blood thinner for at-least 3 weeks.  

Unless otherwise instructed by Dr. Rajaee you may shower after surgery provided there is a waterproof dressing on. Bathing in a tub or swimming is not recommended for the first 6 weeks after surgery.  Dr. Rajaee will need to inspect the incision to give an OK prior to entering a bathtub or a pool.

In general, for the first 6 weeks after total knee replacement surgery, patients are advised to avoid running, pivoting and jumping in order to not compromise healing and fixation. After the initial recovery period, patients may gradually return to their prior lifestyle and activities.  Of course, the more impact the joint replacement sees over time, the increased risk of wearing down the parts which may require intervention in the future.

This is variable from patient to patient and you will need to get the OK from your surgeon prior to driving.  Typically, if the surgery is on the right knee or hip, it takes about 6 weeks to get back to driving.