Karl Rathjen, M.D.

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.

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

• Clubfoot
• Developmental dysplasia of the hip
• Limb deformity and reconstruction
• Physeal Injuries and growth disturbance
• Spinal deformity

Featured Publications

Distal Junctional Failure Following Pediatric Spinal Fusion.

Floccari LV, Su AW, McIntosh AL, Rathjen K, Shaughnessy WJ, Larson AN, J Pediatr Orthop 2019 Apr 39 4 202-208

Outcomes of Spinal Fusion for Cervical Kyphosis in Children with Neurofibromatosis.

Helenius IJ, Sponseller PD, Mackenzie W, Odent T, Dormans JP, Asghar J, Rathjen K, Pahys JM, Miyanji F, Hedequist D, Phillips JH J Bone Joint Surg Am 2016 Nov 98 21 e95

Complications Associated With Epiphysiodesis for Management of Leg Length Discrepancy.

Makarov MR, Dunn SH, Singer DE, Rathjen KE, Ramo BA, Chukwunyerenwa CK, Birch JG J Pediatr Orthop 2016 Aug

Pediatric cervical kyphosis: a comparison of arthrodesis techniques.

Martus JE, Griffith TE, Dear JC, Rathjen KE Spine 2011 Aug 36 17 E1145-53

Kyphectomy improves sitting and skin problems in patients with myelomeningocele.

Garg S, Oetgen M, Rathjen K, Richards BS Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. 2011 May 469 5 1279-85

Pain Catastrophizing Influences Preoperative and Postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Ramo BA, Collins-Jones TL, Thornberg D, Klinkerman L, Rathjen K, Jo CH, J Bone Joint Surg Am 2022 Aug

The Efficacy of Intra-articular Subtalar Steroid Injection for Symptomatic Talocalcaneal Coalitions: A 30-Year Single Institution Experience.

Zide JR, Shivers C, Adair C, Le T, Kanaan Y, Rathjen K, Jo CH, Riccio AI, J Pediatr Orthop 2022 Mar

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita: a 28-year retrospective study.

Wahlig B, Poppino K, Jo CH, Rathjen K, Dev Med Child Neurol 2021 Oct

Incidence and significance of findings on spinal MRIs in a paediatric population with spinal column complaints.

Rathjen K, Dieckmann RJ, Thornberg DC, Karam A, Birch JG, J Child Orthop 2021 Feb 15 1 70-75

Predictors of appointment adherence following operative treatment of pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures: which patients are not following up?

Hubbard EW, Rathjen KE, Elliott M, Wimberly RL, Riccio AI, J Pediatr Orthop B 2020 Oct

• 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