Ara A. Chalian, MD

Otorhinolaryngology
Accepting new patients
Sees patients age 18 and up
Penn Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Perelman
Make an appointmentCall 800-789-7366
Headshot of Ara A. Chalian, MD
Penn Medicine Provider

About me

  • Director, Facial Plastic Reconstruction
  • Patient Safety Officer
  • Director, Microvascular Lab
  • Professor of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Chalian serves as Director of Facial Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery and as a Head and Neck Surgeon within the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Penn Medicine. He has over 30 years of experience and his clinical practice focuses on advanced cancers, benign disease, complex reconstructive surgery with the full spectrum of micro-vascular free tissue transfer, and TORS (Robotic surgery of the head and neck).

In addition to his practice, Dr. Chalian has authored over 55 peer reviewed clinical and scientific papers and over 15 book chapters. His research spans molecular biology, mechanisms of head and neck cancer, and oncologic wound healing and the influence of hyperbaric oxygen while his clinical research and inquiry includes collaborative work in clinical and surgical safety and quality including clinical and administrative foci in surgical patient safety initiatives.

My education and training

  • Medical School: Indiana University Hospital
  • Residency: IU Health University Hospital
  • Fellowship: University of Pennsylvania Health System

Watch video featuring Ara A. Chalian, MD on YouTube

Spoken languages

English
English

Reviews

Average Rating

1240 reviews

Comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Penn Medicine.

Anonymous
May 2026
i'm still alive and without cancer in my head.
Anonymous
May 2026
the dr was very courteous and very professional ty
Anonymous
May 2026
open talk that we all related to
Anonymous
May 2026
he is a highly respected skilled surgeon who cares about his patients.

Insurance accepted

Please contact the practice and/or the member services department of your insurance company for specific details before receiving services. Providers may participate in some, but not all, products offered by a health plan; providers may also accept plans at some practice locations but not others.

Locations

Penn Medicine hospital privileges

  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
  • Pennsylvania Hospital: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
  • Penn Presbyterian Medical Center: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
Dr. Chalian is a Penn Medicine physician.

Qualifications and experience

Treatments and Conditions

Research

Publications

Keshav Shah, Saawan D Patel, Karthik Rajasekaran, Steven B Cannady, Ara A. Chalian, Robert M Brody Risk Factors for Plate Infection, Exposure and Removal in Mandibular Reconstrution , Otholaryngology Head and Neck Surgery , 171(6): 2024,1705-1714

Lam D, Sangal NR, Aggarwal A, Rajasekaran K, Cannady SB, Basu D, Chalian A, Weinstein G, Brody RM. Preoperative Circulating Tumor HPV DNA and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Disease , JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 150: 2024,444-450

Cohen WG, Chalian A, Brody RM. Flap-based Closure of Acquired Tracheoesophageal Fistulas , Laryngoscope: 2024

Kaki PC, Lam D, Sangal NR, Rajasekaran K, Chalian AC, Brody RM, Weinstein GS, Cannady SB. Transoral robotic surgery with free flap reconstruction: Functional outcomes of 241 patients at a single institution , Head Neck: 2024

Jafari A, Adappa ND, Anagnos VJ, Campbell RG, Castelnuovo P, Chalian A, Chambers CB, Chitguppi C, Dallan I, El Rassi E, Freitag SK, Fernandez Miranda JC, Ferreira M Jr, Gardner PA, Gudis DA, Harvey RJ, Huang Q, Humphreys IM, Kennedy DW, Lee JYK, Lehmann AE, Locatelli D, McKinney KA, Moreau A, Nyquist G, Palmer JN, Prepageran N, Pribitkin EA, Rabinowitz MR, Rosen MR, Sacks R, Sharma D, Snyderman CH, Tonya Stefko S, Stokken JK, Wang EW, Workman AD, Wu AW, Yu JY, Zhang MM, Zhou B, Bleier BS. Orbital resection by intranasal technique (ORBIT): A new classification system for reporting endoscopically resectable primary benign orbital tumors , Int Forum Allergy Rhinol: 2023

De Ravin E, Barrette LX, Carey RM, Slijepcevic A, Petrisor D, Taghizadeh F, Elliott Z, Rajasekaran K, Chalian AC, Brody RM, Newman JG, Shanti RM, Curry J, Wax MK, Cannady SB. Association of Head and Neck Anatomic Zones with Microvascular Reconstruction Outcomes , Facial Plast Surg Aesthet Med: 2023

Anagnos VJ, Brody RM, Carey RM, De Ravin E, Tasche KK, Newman JG, Shanti RM, Chalian AA, Rassekh CH, Weinstein GS, O'Malley BW Jr, Cannady Md SB. Post-operative Monitoring for Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstruction in the Era of Resident Duty Hour Restrictions: A Retrospective Cohort Study Comparing 2 Monitoring Protocols , Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol: 2023

Yver CM, Chao TN, Thaler ER, Ruckenstein MJ, Chalian AA, Weinstein GS, O'Malley BW Jr, Cannady SB. Financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on an academic otolaryngology department , World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg: 2022

Henry LE, Paul EA, Atkins JH, Martin ND, Chalian AA, Rassekh CH. Institutional analysis of intra- and post-operative tracheostomy management for risk reduction , World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 8: 2022,370-377

Workman AD, Brody RM1, Kuan EC, Baranov E, Brooks SG, Alonso-Basanta M, Newman JG, Rassekh CH, Chalian AA, Chiu AG, Weinstein GS, Feldman MD, Adappa ND, O'Malley BW Jr, Palmer JN. Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma: A 15-Year Single Institution Experience. , Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B Skull Base: 2018