Christopher H. Rassekh, 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 Christopher H. Rassekh, MD
Penn Medicine Provider

About me

  • Director, Penn Medicine Salivary Gland Center and Sialendoscopy Program
  • Co-Chair, Hospital University of Pennsylvania Airway Safety Committee
  • Director of Risk Reduction and Director of Professional Practice, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
  • Professor of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery

Christopher H. Rassekh, MD is Professor of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Penn Medicine. He is the Director of the Penn Medicine Salivary Gland Center and Sialendoscopy Program, which provides evaluation of and minimally invasive surgery for diseases that cause swelling of the salivary glands including obstructive diseases such as salivary stones, salivary duct strictures and tumors. As a trusted member of the international salivary gland care community, he will serve as co-chair for the 5th International Salivary Gland Congress held at Penn Medicine in October of 2019. Dr. Rassekh sees patients with head and neck tumors including cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, salivary gland, thyroid and neck and also was a very early adopter of Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) for tumors and salivary gland diseases, and is an expert in cranial base surgery. He also is co-chair of the Airway Safety Committee at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Rassekh has been very active in the national and international community including the American Academy of Otorhinolaryngology which awarded him the Distinguished service award in 2007. He has been on the board of directors of the North American Skull Base Society and served on numerous committees in that organization. He is currently on the Board for the Salivary Section of the American Head and Neck Society and has been on the program planning committee for all three of these organizations. He is a fellow of the Triological Society (aka Laryngological, Otological and Rhinological Society).

Specializing in Head and Neck Cancer, tumors, salivary gland diseases, sialendoscopy, and all other aspects of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, especially diseases of the nose, throat and neck and skull base.

My education and training

  • Medical School: University of Iowa College of Medicine
  • Residency: Spectrum Health Hospital (Butterworth Campus)
  • Residency: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
  • Fellowship: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
  • Fellowship: UPMC Presbyterian

Watch video featuring Christopher H. Rassekh, MD on YouTube

Spoken languages

English
English
Español
Spanish
Français
French

Reviews

Average Rating

438 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
listens
Anonymous
May 2026
dr rassekh has a wonderful manner; is extremely knowledgeable in his field; provided a lot of clear, detailed information;discussed clear next steps and options. to me this was a very thorough consultation, which exceeded my expectations.
Anonymous
April 2026
you saved my life and changed the way i now live.
Anonymous
April 2026
dr. rassekh's expertise and skill.

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. Rassekh is a Penn Medicine physician.

Qualifications and experience

Treatments and Conditions

Research

Publications

Lukens, N et al Long-Term Results of a Phase II Clinical Trial of Radiation Volume and Dose De-intensification Following Transoral Robotic Surgery and Neck Dissection for Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma , International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics DOI:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2026.04.015: 2026

Okolo, Ogoegbunam; Benson, Jalen, Wardlow, Robert, Fowler, Jason, Rassekh, CH. The Work Up of Head and Neck Masses - for the Hospitalist/Internist , Otolaryngology for the Hospitalist Issue of Medical Clinics of North America, 110: 2026

Sharma S, Lavin JM, Rassekh CH. Addressing Stakeholder Gaps and Systemic Barriers in Intersystem Medical Error Discovery Reporting. , JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2025 Oct 1;151(10):1011-1012. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2025.2657.: 2025

Vimawala SN, Graboyes AZ, Bennett B, Bonanni M. Abbasi A, Oliphant T. Alonso-Basanta M. Rassekh C.Cohen D, Brant JA, Huan Y. Head and Neck Paragangliomas: Overview of Institutional Experience , Cancers (Basel). 2024 Apr 16;16(8):1523, doi: 10.3390/cancers 16081523. PMID: 38672605: 2024

Hoffman HT, Koch M, Witt RL, Ryan WR, Zenk J, Katz P, Rahmati R, Rassekh C, Donato F. McCulloch TM, Joshi AS, Chang JL, Gillespie MB, Pichardo PFA, Orloff LA, Marcelino A. Wenzel P. Cohen D. Fundakowski CE, Cognetti DM, Walvekar RR, Bertelli A, Quon H, Anderson C, Policeni B, Siegel G. Proposal for standardized ultrasound analysis of the salivary glands: Part 1 2 submandibular gland. , Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2024 Feb 14:9(1):e1224, doi: 10.1002/lio2.1224. eCollection 2024 Feb. PMID: : 2024

Tondi-Resta I, Hobday SB, Gubbiotti MA, Jalaly JB, Rassekh CH, Montone KM, Baloch ZW. Carcinoma Ex Pleomorphic Adenomas: An Institutional Experience and Literature Review , Am J Clin Pathol : 2023

Hobday SB, Mady LJ, Jacobson AM, Rassekh CH. CIC-DUX4 Sarcoma Involving the Skull Base: A Rare Presentation and Review of the Literature. , J Neurol Surg Rep. 2023 Oct 13;84(4):e124-e128. doi: 10.1055/a-2166-5688. eCollection 2023 Oct. PMID: 37842548 : 2023

Brenner MJ, Brodsky MB, Rassekh CH. Reassessing Endotracheal Tube Size in Critically Ill Patients. , Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023 Feb 1;149(2):188. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2022.4273.: 2023

Saleh S, Sullivan SE, Bellile E, Roxbury C, Das P, Hachem RA, Ackall F, Jang D, Celtikci E, Sahin MM, D'souza G, Evans JJ, Nyquist G, Khalafallah A, Mukherjee D, Rowan NR, Camp S, Choby G, Gompel JJV, Ghiam MK, Levine CG, Field M, Adappa N, Locke TB, Rassekh C, Sweis AM, Goyal N, Zacharia B, Wilson MN, Patel S, Gardner PA, Snyderman CH, Wang EW, Glancz LJ, Bagchi A, Dow G, Robertson I, Rangarajan SV, Michael LM 2nd, McKean EL Retrospective Review of Surgical Site Infections after Endoscopic Endonasal Sellar and Parasellar Surgery: Multicenter Quality Data from the North American Skull Base Society , J Neurol Surg B Skull Base, 83(6): 2022,579-588

Badash I, Raskin J, Pei M, Soldatova L, Rassekh C Contemporary Review of Submandibular Gland Sialolithiasis and Surgical Management Options , Cureus, 14(8): 2022,e28147