Karthik Rajasekaran, MD, FACS
Otorhinolaryngology
Accepting new patients
Sees patients age 12 and up
Penn Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Washington Square
Make an appointmentCall 800-789-7366
Headshot of Karthik Rajasekaran, MD, FACS
Penn Medicine Provider

About me

  • Head and Neck Oncologic & Microvascular Reconstructive Surgeon
  • Co-Director, Head and Neck Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction Fellowship
  • Director, Facial Trauma
  • Director, Quality Improvement
  • Associate Professor of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
  • Associate Professor of Dermatology

Dr. Karthik Rajasekaran is a renowned head and neck oncologic and reconstructive surgeon who has dedicated his career to providing personalized treatment plans for patients with benign and malignant tumors. With his unwavering commitment to ensuring the best possible care, Dr. Raj brings unparalleled expertise to the treatment of a wide range of head and neck cancers.

Dr. Raj's impressive skill set covers everything from endoscopic to minimally invasive and traditional surgical techniques, making him a sought-after surgeon in the field. He has a particular proficiency in transoral robotic surgery (TORS), endoscopic approaches for skull base and nasal tumors, advanced oncologic surgery, and state-of-the-art reconstructive options following cancer surgery, injury from radiation therapy, and trauma.

Dr. Raj believes in treating his patients with the same level of care and attention that he would offer to his own family. This philosophy is reflected in his accessibility to his patients, as he provides them with the support they need to navigate their treatment with confidence.

In addition to his dedication to patient care, Dr. Raj is also a highly respected researcher, with over 150 scientific publications and textbook chapters to his name. His research interests include areas such as outcomes for patients treated with advanced head and neck cancer, reducing opioid use in head and neck cancer patients, and optimizing perioperative care. His work has earned him numerous national awards, research grants, and invitations to speak at national and international conferences, highlighting his unwavering commitment to advancing the field of head and neck cancer treatment.

Dr. Raj's compassionate, patient-centric approach is at the heart of his practice, as he centers on understanding and meeting the goals and values of his patients and their caregivers. If you're looking for a highly skilled and compassionate head and neck surgeon, Dr. Karthik Rajasekaran is the right choice for you.

Education and training

  • Medical School: Rosalind Franklin University
  • Residency: Cleveland Clinic Foundation
  • Fellowship: University of Pennsylvania Health System

What my patients think about me

Average Rating

1382 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
April 2026
he knew exactly what he was talking about and felt no issue with having surgery.
Anonymous
April 2026
he pays attention to your concerns. he listens and talks to you in a way you can understand.
Anonymous
April 2026
easy to talk to
Anonymous
April 2026
professional

Insurance accepted

My Locations

Penn Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Washington Square

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. Rajasekaran is a Penn Medicine physician.

Qualifications and experience

Treatments and Conditions

My research

Lukens JN, Riina MD, Weinstein G, MacDuffie E, Ramkissoon A, Baron J, Berger M, Messing I, Gentile M, Maxwell R, Ojerholm E, Swisher-McClure S, Giron Santos A, Porier K, Basu D, Brody R, Cannady S, Carey R, Chalian A, Newman J, Rajasekaran K, Rassekh C, Shanti R, Cohen RB, Singh A, Sun L, Montone K, Lin A 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 , Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys: 2026

Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Hunter ER, Wang SY, Valdes Morales KL, Lubeck M, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Higgins HW 2nd, Walker JL, Zhang J, Cannady SB, Rajasekaran K, Brody RM, Kovach SJ 3rd, Chang B, Lin IC, Fischer JP, Lukens JN, Cohen JV, Mitchell TC, Amaravadi RK, Mehta S, Briceño CA, McMurray SL Mohs-Facilitated Excision: A Case Series of a Multidisciplinary Approach to Reduce Local Recurrence of Advanced Keratinocyte Carcinomas , J Am Acad Dermatol: 2026

Wang SY, Turner G, Valdes-Morales KL, Hunter ER, Kim M, Tran VA, Polen K, Haynes D, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Walker JL, Zhang J, Brody RM, Cannady SB, Rajasekaran K, Farwell DG, Miura JT, Karakousis GC, Lukens JR, Amaravadi RK, Schuchter LM, Mitchell TC, Higgins HW 2nd, Carey RM Accuracy of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy to Predict Nodal Metastasis in Head and Neck Merkel Cell Carcinoma , JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 152(3): 2026,313-322

Park SL, Painter MM, Manne S, Alcalde V, McLaughlin M, Sullivan MA, Mathew D, Torres L, Huang YJ, Reeg DB, Douek NR, Campos T, Klapholz M, Cardenas MA, Fang V, Ngiow SF, Kc W, Goel RR, Baxter AE, Wu JE, Tan M, Berry CT, Ellebrecht CT, Alexander HC, Papazian E, Liu Y, Rajasekaran K, Brody RM, Thaler ER, Basu D, Diab A, Giles JR, Wherry EJ Tissue-resident exhausted and memory CD8+ T cells have distinct ontogeny, function and role in disease , Nat Immunol, 27(1): 2026,110-125

Moss W, Muralidhar A, Girela M, Rajasekaran K, Moreira A Pediatric laryngeal trauma: An epidemiological study using the National Trauma Data Bank , Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol: 2025

Fu BJ, Potter AL, Pipkorn P, Kraimer KL, Chen MM, Rajasekaran K, Yang CJ, Lee JJ Differences in Survival Following Surgery Versus Chemoradiotherapy for Clinical Stage T4a Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis , Head Neck: 2025

Barrette LX, Gentile M, Rajasekaran K. Contralateral Tonsil in p16-Positive Tonsil Squamous Cell Carcinoma Contralateral Tonsil in p16-Positive Tonsil Squamous Cell Carcinoma , JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 151(12): 2025,1115-1116

Halle TR, Cao AC, Naik AG, Weinstein GS, Lee JJ, Gobillot TA, Kaye ER, Brody RM, Basu D, O'Malley BW Jr, Farwell DG, Cannady SB, Lin A, Lukens J, Gentile M, Newman JG, Chalian AA, Rasskeh CH, Rajasekaran K Risk of Occult Contralateral Neck Metastasis in Early-Stage HPV-Related Lateralized Cancer of the Base of the Tongue , Head Neck: 2025

Trifoi MD, Morales KV, Frankel D, Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Haynes D, Lubeck M, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Giordano CN, Walker JL, Zhang J, Lewis DJ, Higgins HW 2nd, Miura JT, Karakousis GC, Rajasekaran K, Cannady SB, Brody RM, Mitchell TC, Amaravadi RK, Lukens JN, Miller CJ. Compliance with guidelines and timeliness of sentinel lymph node biopsy for Merkel cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery versus conventional excision at a tertiary academic center , J Am Acad Dermatol: 2025

Lam D, Herpin L, Campe L, Brody RM, Rajasekaran K, Mirza N Medialization Thyroplasty with Tensor Fascia Lata for Immunocompromised or Irradiated Patients , J Voice: 2025

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