Santa Monica.
In patients’ words.

Anyone trying to figure out who is the best knee surgeon in Los Angeles, CA needs to head straight to Santa Monica. I did exhaustive research across the entire LA metro area for an orthopedic specialist to handle a complex knee issue, and Dr. Eric Millstein, MD is hands-down the premier choice. His office at 2901 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica is immaculate, and his expertise in advanced knee arthroscopy, ACL reconstruction, and joint care is unmatched across Southern California. He is affiliated with top-tier hospital systems like Cedars-Sinai and Providence Saint John’s, which gives you complete peace of mind. From the initial consultation to my flawless post-op recovery, his care was incredible. If you want the absolute best knee surgeon in Los Angeles, driving to his Santa Monica clinic is 100% worth it.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the life-changing surgery you performed on June 17, 2025. As you know, I had emergency laminectomy surgery on May 30, 2024, in Wisconsin, which left me with significant numbness in both legs, limited toe mobility, and intense pain from my hip to my left knee. A specialist in California informed me that these issues could become permanent if they persisted for six months after the surgery. I suffered with this condition for a year, and it took me four months to even begin walking without assistance of a walker o cane after the surgery in Wisconsin. When I came to see you in Santa Monica in April 2025, you offered hope that you could correct my desperate pain and numbness. The results of the spinal surgery you performed on vertebrae 3, 4, and 5, where you also placed two screws in vertebrae 3 and 4, have been nothing short of incredible. Just ten days after surgery, I was able to walk without the help of a walker or cane. Now, two and a half months post-surgery, the improvement is profound. I can walk for up to an hour without any leg pain, and I experience only minimal discomfort in my lower back. I went from being unable to walk for more than eight minutes due to unbearable pain (level 8) to being able to walk for an hour without problems. Dr. Bae, your professionalism and that of your staff are truly extraordinary. I feel blessed that you performed my surgery and have changed my life from one of frustration and pain to one without pain at all. Thank you for everything. God bless your heart.

Hyun Bae, MD

March 2025 update I love you, Doc! I’m back to doing two things I love - running and yoga! Had arthroscopy done on both of my hips now and I’m so happy. As long as you don’t have arthritis yet, this procedure is amazing if done properly, and this doctor is the best! 2022 Look no further, this is the doctor you want to see for your hip issues. I saw Dr. G almost a year ago after running my 25th marathon and developing pain in my right hip, I really did not want to do surgery and he gave me options to see if this pain will go away with physical therapy and no running. After six months of no results, I went back to Dr. G and he showed me on the x-ray that hip arthroscopy would be the best choice to fix the problem. I went to other famous orthopedic surgeons in Santa Monica and West LA for second and third and fourth opinions. And it would be fine to choose one of them for the surgery but going with Dr. G felt like the right choice. The level of care and attention you get from this doctor is well above average! He’s meticulous, thorough and has the first-hand experience of this procedure as a Patient. Him being a runner himself gave me confidence I can return to the sport I love.. His assistant Zohra is amazing, any questions - I get answers via emails promptly. She guided me through preparation for the surgery, post-op, etc. it’s six weeks post-op and the doctor saw me three times already to follow up on the progress of my recovery and physical therapy. I have been recommending him to my friends.

Tigran Garabekyan, MD

Dr. Millstein has been my husband, brother, nephew and many friends' go to doctor with all their shoulder and knee issues. Having recently been dealing with shoulder pain I opted to see him for some feedback. Everyone had told me what a great doctor he is but getting to meet him and seeing his bedside manner firsthand made me wholeheartedly agree with them. Dr. Millstein took his time to go over my images and reports and thankfully told me that all I need is Physical Therapy (not surgery) to get better. He was very forthright, knowledgeable and welcoming and encouraged me that I can always reach out to him personally should I have any questions or concerns. Dr. Millstein really cares about his patients. It is evident from the second you meet him that he really is there to help you and not push for surgery unless it's needed. It is not often that I meet a doctor who is not only skilled in his expertise, but also a very genuine and caring person. Dr. Millstein definitely fits the bill! P.S. Dr. Millstein recently moved his practice to a beautiful and stylishly designed office in Santa Monica with breathtaking views. Honestly, it was one of the most gorgeous medical offices I've ever seen!

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Eric S. Millstein, MD

I located Dr Bae's name during a visit with a man in a shop near Las Cruces NM. His wife had been to see Dr Bae and recommended him. This man lives in Whitefish Montana and I do not know his name. Wish I did so I could thank him. We drove to Santa Monica June 3 and met with the staff of The Spine Institute and came away very impressed and are scheduling my surgery for June 18. Dr. Bae was very helpful and fully described the work needed and the planned schedule and even offered suggestions for a place to stay nearby the hospital and his offices. I look forward to this operation. We arrived June 17, checked int Ambrose Hotel and the operation went as planned at St Johns. Was in hospital 2 days due to slight complication during procedure. Stayed in hotel nearby until June 24 when we met with Dr Bae and Dr Cano and were cleared to return home. Drove back to SF Bay Area. Stopped using Oxycodone after leaving Santa Monica and then Tylenol within a week and then only one Tylenol at bedtime. Numbness in lower body is nearly gone but comes and goes as expected. Local home nurse and PT were set up through The Spine Institute and they are headquartered here in Orinda. All visiting assistance has been wonderful. My wife was a wonderful nurse and recovery placed a lot of work on her that I had shared so it must be a team effort when serious operations such as back repair are considered. I had a Foley in use for 3 weeks and a complication occurred in that I went into septic shock and was hospitalized for a few days at John Muir in Walnut Creek. At first it was thought my back incision was infected so focus for 2 days was on that possibility, but it turned out I had an extreme bladder infection from the Foley. I setup a local doctor to perform the 6 weeks review in order to save another trip to LA and that was OK with Drs Cano and Bae. All was well. Walked as much as possible, first on my deck then around a local lake. Now walk a mile easily but slowly and use either my Hurrycane or a walking stick. One issue I had was the inability to release urine. Several doctors said they thought this was not related to my nerve pinch in my back. I felt it was. Turns out we were both right since after use of Flomax and the operation and after 3 months working with a local urologist I am back to normal. It has been 3-1/2 months now and slowly my legs are regaining sensitivity. It seems slow but with PT my balance and strength are improving. I feel the effort to work with The Spine Institute in Santa Monica was well worth the extra effort required.

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Hyun Bae, MD

Dr. Sanjay Khurana is my hero! I'm 71 years old and have had back problems all my life with 7 curvatures in my cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine leading to pain, pinched nerves, numbness, etc. I've relied on chiropractic adjustments to alleviate my discomfort for many years, but my condition had been getting worse the last 2-3 years. My back pain was now expanding down both legs and was accompanied by numbness as well. I was now walking like Quasi Moto, hunched over and to the right to relieve some of the pressure on the nerves. In May 2018, I saw an orthopedic doctor who took x-rays and sent me for an MRI. Upon reviewing the MRI, he referred me to an orthopedic spine surgeon in his office who informed me that I was precariously close to becoming incontinent (best case scenario) or paralyzed (worst case scenario) due to the severe stenosis I had from L2 to S1 (4 levels) as well as anterolisthesis at L5 on S1. I was scheduled for surgery early July 2018 for decompression at 4 levels and "some" fusion. I was told I would have a scar about 10" long on my back and be on a walker for 4 months. I got all the instructions regarding no bending, lifting (5 lb. max.) or twisting, driving and travel restrictions, etc. This was really depressing since I'm so accustomed to being independent and not relying on others to do things for me. I wanted a second opinion so I asked my chiropractor for a recommendation. I showed him the report of my MRI and he referred me to Dr. Khurana, telling me the outcome would be critically dependent upon the surgeon I chose. I called Dr. Khurana's Torrance office at Beach Cities Orthopedic that day and got an appointment for the very next day (he's only at the Torrance office on Wednesdays and I live in the South Bay). Dr. Khurana concurred that I needed surgery and described the technique (microsurgery) he employs in detail for the decompression L2-S1 (4 levels), as well as the anterior approach he preferred for fusion of L4-L5 & L5-S1. This would leave me with about a 4 inch scar on my back. He works with a vascular surgeon to perform the ALIF (Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion) and his preferred vascular surgeon was Dr. Rao, whose first available date was July 10, 2018 at Providence St. John's Hosp. in Santa Monica, so that's what I signed up for. That vertical abdominal scar is about 3 inches long from the navel down. The next part of my story is the best part. I did remarkably well post-op. I never used a walker once after I returned home. Sure I had to wear a back brace whenever I wasn't sitting or lying down, but what a huge relief. I stopped all pain killers and muscle relaxants after 2 weeks. I have no more leg pain or numbness at all. I still feel a little ache in my low back but I assume I will until the fusion is completely healed. I started walking in the neighborhood 10-20 minutes a day and worked up to 1 hour walks in week 4 post-op. I'm almost 3 months post-op now and I only wear the brace when I walk. I do that daily and while walking I think about how I couldn't walk even 5 minutes without pain and numbness before the surgery. I thank God for my blessings every day... and Dr. Khurana.

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Sanjay Khurana, MD

Dr. Hyun Bae performed lumbar fusion surgery May 15, 2018 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, CA. My diagnosis was extreme lumbar stenosis, spondylolisthesus, and scoliosis. My legs were giving out from under me and I couldn't walk from the car to the front door even tho' I am athletic and in great shape for 70. Long and short of it, I am extremely happy with the results and grateful we found Dr. Bae. We interviewed several surgeons but found Dr. Bae to be the most informed about my condition and treatment option. His professional attitude was confidence-inspiring, answering all my questions and providing me a sense of security. Back surgery is generally the last therapeutic resolution to extreme back problems and I did everything to prevent having to have it so I am happy but surprised with the results. His staff and his assistant Lisa, were caring, efficient and available throughout the process. That's important if you want your doctor to focus on you! -Guy M.

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Hyun Bae, MD

I couldn't have picked a better Dr. for my disk replacement. For over two years I suffered with debilitating neck and shoulder pain due to a damaged disc C5-C6. I saw two surgeons here in Las Vegas and tried all the nonsurgical treatments (anti-inflammatory medications, acupuncture, two rounds of physical therapy and epidural steroid injections) to no avail. Both local surgeons eventually recommended spinal fusion. NO WAY, I said. For over a year, I spent hours researching alternative treatments and that's how I found Dr. Bae. On June 2015, I had my initial consultation. When you enter Dr. Bae's office the first person you will interact with is Julie, Dr. Bae's medical secretary. She is incredibly efficient, helpful and skillful at communicating with nervous patients like myself. When you meet Dr. Bae the first thing you will notice is how confident and forthright he is. First, he examined my medical history and MRI images, he showed my husband and I where the prolapsed disk was pressing against the spinal cord and then he explained (in plain language) what could be done surgically to free up the nerve. Both my husband and I were extremely impressed with Dr. Bae's minimally invasive approach to surgery, his communication skills and sincere desire to stop my pain. The surgery, insurance coverage, hospital stay, follow up care, etc was all made possible by his wonderful PA Lisa. Lisa was instrumental in coordinating the "long distance" planning of my surgery in Santa Monica - most of it through email and phone calls. She was SUPER quick replying to all of my questions! Thank You Lisa. Seven weeks ago, Dr Bae replaced my degenerated disk with a Mobi-C cervical disk and I'm feeling fantastic. I Just completed the first week of physical therapy here in Vegas and for the first time in years I'm starting to live free of pain. If you are struggling with a spinal condition, trust Dr. Bae and his amazing team!

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Hyun Bae, MD