Karl Rathjen

Dr. Karl Rathjen is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) and Assistant Chief of Staff at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. He holds a B.S. from The University of Texas at Austin and an M.D. from UTSW. His residency was completed at Parkland Hospital/UTSW, followed by a pediatric orthopaedic fellowship at Rady Children's Hospital/UC San Diego. His research focuses on pediatric orthopaedics, including spinal deformities (e.g., scoliosis), musculoskeletal disorders, and surgical outcomes in children. He has authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles, contributing to journals like Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics and Nature Communications. Collaborations include the Pediatric Cervical Spine Clearance Working Group. His work emphasizes clinical trials, genetic studies, and disparities in healthcare access.

Key research themes include spinal fusion techniques, scoliosis genetics, and optimizing surgical outcomes for complex conditions like arthrogryposis and amyoplasia. He has led studies on implant density in scoliosis surgery and Medicaid insurance impacts on revision rates. His administrative roles at UTSW and Texas Scottish Rite reflect his leadership in pediatric orthopaedics.