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Karl Rathjen, M.D.

Karl Rathjen, M.D.

Titles and Appointments

Professor

School
Medical School
Department
Orthopaedic Surgery

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For more information on the doctor and patient care, please visit the clinical profile.

  • Biography

    Dr. Karl Rathjen is an assistant chief of staff at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.  He is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.  Dr. Rathjen is an honor graduate of The Univeristy of Texas at Austin and received his medical degree from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at Parkland Hospital / The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and a fellowship in pediatric othopaedic surgery at Rady Children's Hospital/University of California San Diego.

  • Education
    Medical School
    UT Southwestern Medical School (1990)
    Internship
    UT Southwestern Medical Center (1991), Surgery
    Residency
    UT Southwestern Medical Center (1995), Orthopaedic Surgery
    Fellowship
    Rady Children's Hospital of San Diego (1996), Pediatric Orthopaedics
  • Research Interest
    • Clubfoot
    • Developmental dysplasia of the hip
    • Limb deformity and reconstruction
    • Physeal Injuries and growth disturbance
    • Spinal deformity
  • Publications
    Prevalence of Osteochondromas in the Spine in Patients with Multiple Hereditary Exostoses
    Monroig-Rivera C, Bockhorn L, Thornberg D, Santillan B, Rathjen KE JBJS Open Access 2025 Mar 10
    Perspectives on quality-of-life priorities for caregivers and children with neuromuscular, syndromic, and skeletal dysplasia scoliosis: a CPCHILD questionnaire analysis
    Monroig-Rivera C, Thornberg D, Sucato D, Rathjen K, McIntosh AL, Ramo B Spine deformity 2025
    The Effect of Implant Density on Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Fusion: Results of the Minimize Implants Maximize Outcomes Randomized Clinical Trial
    Author Collaboration MI, Larson AN, Polly DW, Sponseller PD, Kelly MP, Richards BS, Garg S, Parent S, Shah SA, Weinstein SL, Crawford CH, Sanders JO, Blakemore LC, Oetgen ME, Fletcher ND, Kremers WK, Marks MC, Brearley AM, Aubin CE, Sucato DJ, Labelle H, Erickson MA, Polly DW, Sponseller PD, Kelly MP, Richards BS, Garg S, Parent S, Shah SA, Weinstein SL, Crawford CH, Sanders JO, Blakemore LC, Oetgen ME, Fletcher ND, Marks MC, Aubin CE, Sucato DJ, Labelle H, Erickson MA, Glassman SD, Lenke LG, McIntosh AL, Carreon LY, Dolan LA, Nuckley DJ, Luhmann S, Karol LA, Rathjen K, Johnston C, Ramo B Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery 2024 Feb 106 180-189
    Sixteen Year Old Male with Tibial Malunion Complicated by Pathological Fracture
    Rathjen K, Cherkashin A, Samchukov M 2024 Jan 59-66
    Physeal Bar Excision
    Podeszwa DA, Riccio AI, Rathjen KE 2024 Jan 103-115
    Ten Year Old Male with Comminuted Distal Femoral Fracture
    Rathjen K, Cherkashin A, Samchukov M 2024 Jan 67-74
    Three Year Old Female with Segmental Bone Defect due to Grade IIIB Open Tibial Fracture Treated by Oblique Wire Bone Transport
    Rathjen K, Cherkashin A, Samchukov M 2024 Jan 75-84
    Letter to the Editor: Grauberger et al, J Pediatr Orthop, 2020 and Sullivan et al, J Pediatr Orthop, 2020
    Blakemore L, Garg S, Goodwin R, Gordon JE, Hahn G, Mehlman CT, Mencio G, Rathjen K, Sabatini C, Schmale G, Skaggs DL Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics 2023 Nov 43 E828
    An Analysis of Scoliosis in Autism Spectrum Disorder
    Orland K, Harvey K, Klinkerman LN, Corrales A, Jamnik A, Zale C, Jo CH, Rathjen K, McIntosh A, Petrasic J, Sucato DJ, Ramo B, Johnson M, Brooks JT Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics 2023 Nov 43 E804-E808
    Do Children With Medicaid Insurance Have Increased Revision Rates 5 Years After Posterior Spinal Fusions?
    Moore HG, Patibandla SD, Mcclung AM, Grauer JN, Sucato DJ, Wise CA, Johnson ME, Rathjen KE, Mcintosh AL, Ramo BA, Brooks JT Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics 2023 Nov 43 615-619
  • Professional Associations/Affiliations
    • American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine
    • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery
    • Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society
    • Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America
    • Scoliosis Research Society