Karthik Rajasekaran, MD, FACS
Associate Professor of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Department: Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery
Contact information
800 Walnut St, 18th Floor
Department of Otorhinolaryngology
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Department of Otorhinolaryngology
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Office: 2158295180
Publications
Education:
B.A. (Biology, Health and Society)
University of Rochester, 2005.
M.D. (Doctor of Medicine)
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 2011.
B.A. (Biology, Health and Society)
University of Rochester, 2005.
M.D. (Doctor of Medicine)
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 2011.
Post-Graduate Training
Residency in Otorhinolaryngology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 2011-2016.
Fellowship in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery, Microvascular Reconstruction and TransOral Robotic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2016-2017.
Residency in Otorhinolaryngology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 2011-2016.
Fellowship in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery, Microvascular Reconstruction and TransOral Robotic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2016-2017.
Certifications
Board certified in Otolaryngology, 2017.
American College of Surgeons, 2019.
Permanent linkBoard certified in Otolaryngology, 2017.
American College of Surgeons, 2019.
Selected Publications
Veerabagu SA, Nugent ST, Geng Z, Yanes AF, Fischer JP, Kovell R, Kuntz AF, Rajasekaran K, VanderBeek BL, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Higgins HW 2nd, Walker J, Zhang J, Giordano CN: National opioid prescription decline across outpatient specialty surgeries: a claims database study. J Am Acad Dermatol 93(3): 733-741, Sep 2025.Deng J, Murphy BA, Andersen LP, McMenamin E, Lukens JN, Cohn JC, Rajasekaran K, Quinn RJ, Spinelli BA, Lin A: Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a lymphedema and fibrosis self-management program for head and neck cancer survivors: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Oral Oncol Aug 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2025.107556. [Epub ahead of print]
Park SL, Painter MM, Manne S, Alcalde V, McLaughlin M, Sullivan MA, Mathew D, Torres L, Huang YJ, Reeg DB, Douek NR, Campos T, Klapholz M, Cardenas MA, Fang V, Ngiow SF, Wumesh KC, Goel RR, Baxter AE, Wu JE, Tan M, Berry CT, Ellebrecht CT, Huang AC, Papazian E, Liu Y, Rajasekaran K, Brody RM, Thaler ER, Basu D, Diab A, Giles JR, Wherry EJ: Divergent ontogeny of Tissue Resident Memory and Tissue Resident Exhausted CD8 (+) T cells underlies distinct functional potential. bioRxiv Aug 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1101/2025.08.08.669213.
Gobillot TA, Weinstein G, Cao A, Lee JJ, Brody RM, Basu D, O'Malley BW Jr, Farwell DG, Cannady S, Lin A, Lukens J, Gentile M, Newman JG, Chalian AA, Sun L, Lakshmipathy D, Cohen RB, Rasskeh CH, Rajasekaran K: Outcomes of HPV+ Oropharyngeal Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Following Transoral Robotic Surgery. Laryngoscope Aug 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1002/lary.32449.
Gregory RC, Lineberry N, Parent A, Rajasekaran K, Ow TJ, Nathan CA, Hatton BA, Jenkins W, Grenley M, Burns C, Merrell A, Frazier JP, Derry JMJ, Beirne E, Klinghoffer RA: In Situ Proinflammatory Effects of Dazostinag Alone or with Chemotherapy on the Tumor Microenvironment of Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancer Res Commun 5(7): 1243-1255, Jul 2025.
Kaki PC, Sangal NR, Lam D, Carey RM, Rajasekaran K, Chalian A, Brody RM, Weinstein GS, Cannady SB: Functional Outcomes of Free Flap Reconstruction After TORS in Early-Stage HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 173(1): 40-48, July 2025.
Fei-Zhang D, Asthana S, Smith S, Rajasekaran K, Patel U, Chelius D, Sheyn A, Osazuwa-Peters N, Rastatter J: Individual and community-level social determinant impact on HPV-differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma disparities in the USA. Sci Rep Jul 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-10522-z (epub ahead of print).
Lakshmipathy DR, Winter E, Fritz C, Balar O, Prasad A, Moreira A, Rajasekaran K.: Management of Head and Neck Paragangliomas: AGREE II Appraisal of Clinical Practice Guidelines. Ann Surg Oncol Jun 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1245/s10434-025-17682-2. Epub ahead of print.
Deleon A, Murala A, Decker I, Rajasekaran K, Moreira A: Machine learning-based prediction of mortality in pediatric trauma patients. Front Pediatr Feb 2025 Notes: doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1522845.
Kaki PC, Patel AM, Brant JA, Cannady SB, Rajasekaran K, Brody RM, Carey RM: Hypoalbuminemia and Postoperative Outcomes Following Major Salivary Gland Resection. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol Feb 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1002/lio2.70107.