Karl Rathjen, M.D. - Faculty 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