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
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: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

What my patients think about me

Average Rating

1174 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.

October 2025
professional service
October 2025
outstanding
October 2025
everyone was very nice
October 2025
he was very personable. took the time to answer all our questions.

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

Veerabagu SA, Nugent ST, Geng Z, Yanes AF, Fischer JP, Kovell R, Kuntz AF, Rajasekaran K, VanderBeek BL, Miller CJ, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Higgins HW 2nd, Walker J, Zhang J, Giordano CN National opioid prescription decline across outpatient specialty surgeries: a claims database study , J Am Acad Dermatol, 93(3): 2025,733-741

Deng J, Murphy BA, Andersen LP, McMenamin E, Lukens JN, Cohn JC, Rajasekaran K, Quinn RJ, Spinelli BA, Lin A Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a lymphedema and fibrosis self-management program for head and neck cancer survivors: a pilot randomized controlled trial , Oral Oncol: 2025

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, Wumesh KC, Goel RR, Baxter AE, Wu JE, Tan M, Berry CT, Ellebrecht CT, Huang AC, Papazian E, Liu Y, Rajasekaran K, Brody RM, Thaler ER, Basu D, Diab A, Giles JR, Wherry EJ Divergent ontogeny of Tissue Resident Memory and Tissue Resident Exhausted CD8 (+) T cells underlies distinct functional potential , bioRxiv: 2025

Gobillot TA, Weinstein G, Cao A, Lee JJ, Brody RM, Basu D, O'Malley BW Jr, Farwell DG, Cannady S, Lin A, Lukens J, Gentile M, Newman JG, Chalian AA, Sun L, Lakshmipathy D, Cohen RB, Rasskeh CH, Rajasekaran K Outcomes of HPV+ Oropharyngeal Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Following Transoral Robotic Surgery. , Laryngoscope: 2025

Gregory RC, Lineberry N, Parent A, Rajasekaran K, Ow TJ, Nathan CA, Hatton BA, Jenkins W, Grenley M, Burns C, Merrell A, Frazier JP, Derry JMJ, Beirne E, Klinghoffer RA In Situ Proinflammatory Effects of Dazostinag Alone or with Chemotherapy on the Tumor Microenvironment of Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma , Cancer Res Commun, 5(7): 2025,1243-1255

Kaki PC, Sangal NR, Lam D, Carey RM, Rajasekaran K, Chalian A, Brody RM, Weinstein GS, Cannady SB Functional Outcomes of Free Flap Reconstruction After TORS in Early-Stage HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer , Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 173(1): 2025,40-48

Fei-Zhang D, Asthana S, Smith S, Rajasekaran K, Patel U, Chelius D, Sheyn A, Osazuwa-Peters N, Rastatter J Individual and community-level social determinant impact on HPV-differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma disparities in the USA , Sci Rep: 2025

Lakshmipathy DR, Winter E, Fritz C, Balar O, Prasad A, Moreira A, Rajasekaran K. Management of Head and Neck Paragangliomas: AGREE II Appraisal of Clinical Practice Guidelines , Ann Surg Oncol: 2025

Deleon A, Murala A, Decker I, Rajasekaran K, Moreira A Machine learning-based prediction of mortality in pediatric trauma patients , Front Pediatr: 2025

Kaki PC, Patel AM, Brant JA, Cannady SB, Rajasekaran K, Brody RM, Carey RM Hypoalbuminemia and Postoperative Outcomes Following Major Salivary Gland Resection , Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol: 2025

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