Katie Russell

Katie Russell, MD

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Primary Children's Hospital

Salt Lake City
801-662-2950

Primary Children's Hospital Outpatient Services at Riverton

Riverton
801-662-2950

Rock Canyon Pediatric Specialists

Pediatric Surgery
Provo
801-357-1700

St. Vincent Healthcare

SCL Health Medical Group - Fortin Pediatric Specialty Clinic
Billings
406-237-5300

  • Katie W. Russell, MD is a pediatric surgeon with strong interests in pediatric trauma, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), chest wall deformity, fetal consultation, minimally invasive surgery, and global surgery.

    Dr. Russell’s clinical interests include pediatric surgical problems such as:

    • pectus excavatum
    • inguinal hernias
    • hydroceles
    • appendicitis
    • vascular access
    • feeding access
    • gallbladder disease
    • childhood cancers

    She has a particular interest in treating neonatal and pediatric conditions using minimally invasive techniques. She is leading a multidisciplinary clinic dedicated to the treatment of children with pulmonary hypoplasia related to congenital diaphragmatic hernia, congenital lung lesions, and giant omphalocele.

    Dr. Russell is a leader at Primary Children’s Hospital serving as both the Trauma Medical Director, and the Surgical Director of the ECMO program. She is leading telehealth initiatives to lower cost for families related to travel in both the outpatient and inpatient setting. She is involved in a multi-institutional research collaborative, The Western Pediatric Research Consortium, to push the forefront of rigorous research in pediatric surgical conditions.

    Dr. Russell has also been active in the field of global surgery. In 2017 she spent two months in the South Sudan with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). She has completed multiple surgical missions in Haiti, Guatemala and Tanzania. She was also on a surgical team that responded in Nepal after the 2015 Earthquake. She intends to continue her efforts in global surgery throughout her career.

    Dr. Russell earned a B.A. degree in visual art at Brown University and earned her M.D. at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California where she was elected AOA. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Utah including a 1-year research fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Eric Scaife. During her research fellowship they completed a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect on patient decision making on cost containment in pediatric appendectomy. She also participated in wilderness medicine research and has continued to teach for the Alaska Mountaineering School and the National Park Service. During her residency she received the Chassin Award for the professionalism in surgery. Dr. Russell completed her fellowship in pediatric surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

    In her free time, Dr. Russell likes spending time with her husband Dave and their daughter Wild. They love the mountains and skiing and snowboarding.

    Specialties

    Board Certification

    American Board of Surgery (Sub: General Surgery)
    American Board of Surgery (Sub: Pediatric Surgery)

  • Katie W. Russell, MD is a pediatric surgeon with strong interests in pediatric trauma, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), chest wall deformity, fetal consultation, minimally invasive surgery, and global surgery.

    Dr. Russell’s clinical interests include pediatric surgical problems such as:

    • pectus excavatum
    • inguinal hernias
    • hydroceles
    • appendicitis
    • vascular access
    • feeding access
    • gallbladder disease
    • childhood cancers

    She has a particular interest in treating neonatal and pediatric conditions using minimally invasive techniques. She is leading a multidisciplinary clinic dedicated to the treatment of children with pulmonary hypoplasia related to congenital diaphragmatic hernia, congenital lung lesions, and giant omphalocele.

    Dr. Russell is a leader at Primary Children’s Hospital serving as both the Trauma Medical Director, and the Surgical Director of the ECMO program. She is leading telehealth initiatives to lower cost for families related to travel in both the outpatient and inpatient setting. She is involved in a multi-institutional research collaborative, The Western Pediatric Research Consortium, to push the forefront of rigorous research in pediatric surgical conditions.

    Dr. Russell has also been active in the field of global surgery. In 2017 she spent two months in the South Sudan with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). She has completed multiple surgical missions in Haiti, Guatemala and Tanzania. She was also on a surgical team that responded in Nepal after the 2015 Earthquake. She intends to continue her efforts in global surgery throughout her career.

    Dr. Russell earned a B.A. degree in visual art at Brown University and earned her M.D. at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California where she was elected AOA. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Utah including a 1-year research fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Eric Scaife. During her research fellowship they completed a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect on patient decision making on cost containment in pediatric appendectomy. She also participated in wilderness medicine research and has continued to teach for the Alaska Mountaineering School and the National Park Service. During her residency she received the Chassin Award for the professionalism in surgery. Dr. Russell completed her fellowship in pediatric surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

    In her free time, Dr. Russell likes spending time with her husband Dave and their daughter Wild. They love the mountains and skiing and snowboarding.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Surgery -Primary
    Pediatrics -Adjunct
    Academic Divisions Pediatric Surgery
    Board Certification
    American Board of Surgery (Sub: General Surgery)
    American Board of Surgery (Sub: Pediatric Surgery)

    Education history

    Fellowship Pediatric General Surgery - Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Fellow
    General Surgery - University of Utah School of Medicine Resident
    Fellowship Wilderness Medicine - University of Utah School of Medicine Fellow
    General Surgery - University of Utah School of Medicine Research Fellow
    Residency General Surgery - University of Utah School of Medicine Resident
    General Surgery - University of Utah School of Medicine Intern
    Professional Medical Medicine - Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California M.D.
    Visual Art - Brown University B.A.

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. Melhado C, Durand R, Russell KW, Polukoff NE, Rampton J, Iyer RR, Acker SN, Koehler R, Prendergast C, Stence N, ONeill B, Padilla BE, Jamshidi R, Vaughn JA, Ronecker JS, Selesner L, Lofberg K, Regner M, Thiessen J, Sayama C, Spurrier RG, Ross EE, Liu CJ, Chu J, McNevin K, Beni C, Robinson BRH, Linnau K, Buckley RT, Chao SD, Sabapaty A, Tong E, Prolo LM, Ignacio R, Floan Sachs G, Kruk P, Gonda D, Ryan M, Pandya S, Koral K, Braga BP, Auguste K, Jensen AR, Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Cervical Spine Injury Study Group (2024). The Sensitivity of Limited-Sequence MRI in Identifying Pediatric Cervical Spine Injury: A Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. (Read full article)
    2. Wallace MW, Kastenberg ZJ, Swendiman RA, Eckhauser AW, Rodriguez-Davalos M, Russell KW (2024). Two-Stage Liver Transplantation and Tricuspid Valve Replacement After Blunt Trauma in a Pediatric Patient. Am Surg, 31348241241716. (Read full article)
    3. Moore ZJ, Eldredge RS, Russell KW (2024). Acute superior mesenteric artery syndrome complicated by severe gastric, pancreatic and renal ischaemia. BMJ Case Rep, 17(2). (Read full article)
    4. Swendiman RA, Russell KW, Larsen K, Eyre M, Fenton SJ (2024). USE OF A STATEWIDE SOLID ORGAN INJURY PROCOTCOL TO OPTIMIZE TRIAGE, TREATMENT, AND TRANSFER FOR PEDIATRIC ABDOMINAL TRAUMA. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. (Read full article)
    5. Acker SN, Ignacio R, Russell KW, Kelley-Quon L, Lofberg K, Lee J, Jensen AR, Pickett-Nairne K, Prendergast C, Iantorno SE, Thangarajah H, Patwardhan U, Melhado C, Zhong A, Padilla B, Rothstein DH, Nicassio L, Pandya S, Valencia M, Wang K, Inge TH, Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium (2024). Utility of Enteral Contrast Protocols in Pediatric Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: A Prospective Multicenter Observational Study. Ann Surg. (Read full article)
    6. Schnuck JK, Acker SN, Kelley-Quon LI, Lee JH, Shew SB, Fialkowski E, Ignacio RC, Melhado C, Qureshi FG, Russell KW, Rothstein DH, Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium (2024). Decision-Making in Pleural Drainage Following Lung Resection in Children: A Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Survey. J Pediatr Surg. (Read full article)
    7. Melhado C, Russell KW, Acker SN, Padilla BE, Lofberg K, Spurrier RG, Robinson B, Chao S, Ignacio RC, Ryan M, Jensen AR, Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Cervical Spine Injury Study Group (2023). Cervical Collar-Associated Pressure Injury in Pediatric Trauma Patients: A Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Study. J Pediatr Surg. (Read full article)
    8. Jacobson JC, Ryan ML, Vogel AM, Mehl SC, Acker SN, Prendergast C, Padilla BE, Lee J, Chao SD, Martin NR, Russell KW, Larsen K, Harting MT, Linden AF, Ignacio RC Jr, Slater BJ, Juang D, Jensen AR, Melhado CG, Pelayo JC, Zhong A, Spencer BL, Gadepalli SK, Maamari M, Jimenez Valencia M, Qureshi FG, Pandya SR (2023). Outcomes of Extracorporeal Life Support Utilization for Pediatric Patients With COVID-19 Infections. ASAIO J. (Read full article)
    9. Floan Sachs G, Ourshalimian S, Jensen AR, Kelley-Quon LI, Padilla BE, Shew SB, Lofberg KM, Smith CA, Roach JP, Pandya SR, Russell KW, Ignacio RC Jr, Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Choledocholithiasis Investigative Group (2023). Machine learning to predict pediatric choledocholithiasis: A Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium retrospective study. Surgery, 174(4), 934-939. (Read full article)
    10. Russell KW, Skarda DE, Jones TW, Barnhart DC, Short SS (2023). Cessation of Antibiotics for Complicated Appendicitis at Discharge Does Not Increase Risk of Post-operative Infection. J Pediatr Surg, 59(1), 91-95. (Read full article)
    11. Scott Eldredge R, Russell KW (2023). Pediatric surgical interventions on ECMO. Semin Pediatr Surg, 32(4), 151330. (Read full article)
    12. Ryan S, Hewes H, Fenton SF, Russell K, Hansen K, Brockmeyer DL, Robison J (2023). Ten-Year Analysis of Complications Related to Simple Basilar Skull Fractures in Children Presenting to a Trauma Center. Pediatr Emerg Care. (Read full article)
    13. Russell KW, Iantorno SE, Iyer RR, Brockmeyer DL, Smith KM, Polukoff NE, Larsen KE, Barnes KL, Bell TM, Fenton SJ, Inaba K, Swendiman RA (2023). Pediatric Cervical Spine Clearance: A 10-year Evaluation of Multi-Detector Computed Tomography at a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. (Read full article)
    14. Swendiman RA, Scaife JH, Barnes KL, Bell TM, Roach CM, Iyer RR, Brockmeyer DL, Russell KW (2023). Hanging and Strangulation Injuries: An Institutional Review From a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center. J Pediatr Surg. (Read full article)
    15. Ignacio RC Jr, Kelley-Quon LI, Ourshalimian S, Padilla BE, Jensen AR, Shew SB, Lofberg KM, Smith CA, Roach JP, Pandya SR, Russell KW, Wang K, Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Choledocholithiasis Investigative Group (2023). Pediatric DUCT Score: A Highly Specific Predictive Model for Choledocholithiasis in Children. J Am Coll Surg. (Read full article)
    16. Iantorno SE, Swendiman RA, Bucher BT, Russell KW (2023). Surge in Pediatric Firearm Injuries Presenting to US Children's Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Pediatr, 177(2), 204-206. (Read full article)
    17. Tanner TE, Drapkin Z, Fino N, Russell K, Chaulk D, Hewes HA (2022). Thromboelastography and Its Use in Pediatric Trauma Patients. Pediatr Emerg Care, 39(2), e41-e47. (Read full article)
    18. Russell K, Biswas S (2023). Pediatric trauma center vs. adult trauma center: which is better? Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. (Read full article)
    19. Fenton SJ, Swendiman RA, Eyre M, Larsen K, Russell KW (2023). The Utah Pediatric Trauma Network, a statewide pediatric trauma collaborative can safely help non-pediatric hospitals admit children with mild traumatic brain injury. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. (Read full article)
    20. Eldredge RS, Moore Z, Smit J, Barnes K, Norton SP, Larsen K, Padilla BE, Swendiman RA, Fenton SJ, Russell KW (2023). A Pediatric Teletrauma Program Pilot Project: Improves Access to Pediatric Trauma Care and Timely Assessment of Pediatric Traumas. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. (Read full article)
    21. Tobias J, Padilla BE, Lee J, Chen S, Wang KS, Kelley-Quon LI, Mueller C, Shew SB, Joskowitz K, Ignacio RC Jr, Evans LL, Jensen AR, Acker SN, Mason A, Johnson A, McConahey J, Hansen E, Pandya SR, Short SS, Russell KW, Nicassio L, Smith CA, Fialkowski E (2022). Standardized perioperative care reduces colorectal surgical site infection in children: A Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium multicenter analysis. J Pediatr Surg, 58(1), 45-51. (Read full article)
    22. Hewes HA, Ravindra VM, Ryan S, Russell KW, Soisson S, Brockmeyer DL (2022). The Fate of the Cervical Collar: An Observational Pilot Study Investigating Follow-up Care After Emergency Department Discharge in Children With Mild Traumatic Neck Injuries. Pediatr Emerg Care. (Read full article)
    23. Russell KW, Katz MG, Phillips RC, Kelley-Quon LI, Acker SN, Shahi N, Lee JH, Fialkowski EA, Nacharaju D, Smith CA, Jensen AR, Mueller CM, Padilla BE, Ignacio RC, Ourshalimian S, Wang KS, Ostlie DJ, Fenton SJ, Kastenberg ZJ, Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium (2022). Adolescent Vaping-Associated Trauma in the Western United States. J Surg Res, 276, 251-255. (Read full article)
    24. Kelley-Quon LI, Ourshalimian S, Lee J, Russell KW, Kling K, Shew SB, Mueller C, Jensen AR, Vu L, Padilla B, Ostlie D, Smith C, Inge T, Roach J, Ignacio R, Lofberg K, Radu S, Rohan A, Wang KS (2022). Multi-Institutional Quality Improvement Project to Minimize Opioid Prescribing in Children after Appendectomy Using NSQIP-Pediatric. J Am Coll Surg, 234(3), 290-298. (Read full article)
    25. Russell KW, Acker SN, Ignacio RC, Lofberg KM, Garvey EM, Chao SD, Bliss DW, Smith CA, Nehra D, Anderson ML, Bunnell BL, Shahi N, Perry JM, Evans LL, Kwong JZ, Tobias J, Rohan A, Pickett KL, Kaar JL, Kastenberg ZJ, Laskey AL, Scaife ER, Jensen AR (2021). Child physical abuse and COVID-19: Trends from nine pediatric trauma centers. J Pediatr Surg, 57(2), 297-301. (Read full article)
    26. Cox KJ, Yang MJ, Fenton SJ, Russell KW, Yost CC, Yoder BA (2022). Operative repair in congenital diaphragmatic hernia: How long do we really need to wait? J Pediatr Surg, 57(9), 17-23. (Read full article)
    27. Taylor MA, Lewis AE, Swendiman RA, Fenton SJ, Russell KW (2021). Interest in Improving Access to Pediatric Trauma Care Through Telemedicine. J Med Syst, 45(12), 108. (Read full article)
    28. Bessoff KE, Han RW, Cho M, Stroud M, Urrechaga EM, Thorson CM, Russell KW, Rohan A, Acker SN, Swain S, Malvezzi L, Fuchs JR, Chao SD (2021). Epidemiology of pediatric trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic shelter in place. Surg Open Sci, 6, 5-9. (Read full article)
    29. Acker SN, Diaz-Miron J, Ignacio RC, Russell KW, Lofberg K, Shew SB, Peterson PN, Kelley-Quon LI, Jensen AR, Lee J, Padilla B, Smith CA, Kastenberg ZJ, Azarow KS, Ostlie DJ, Wang KS, Inge TH, Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium (2021). Attitudes Affecting Decision-making for Use of Radiologic Enteral Contrast in the Management of Pediatric Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: A Survey Study of Pediatric Surgeons. J Surg Res, 267, 536-543. (Read full article)
    30. Pruitt LCC, Bucher BT, Russell KW, McCrum ML (2021). Impact of Insurance Expansion on Disposition for Pediatric Trauma Patients: A National Trauma Data Bank Cohort Study. J Surg Res, 267, 109-116. (Read full article)
    31. Yang MJ, Russell KW, Yoder BA, Fenton SJ (2021). Congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a narrative review of controversies in neonatal management. Transl Pediatr, 10(5), 1432-1447. (Read full article)
    32. Swendiman RA, Abramov A, Fenton SJ, Russell KW, Nance ML, Nace GW Jr, Iii MA (2021). Use of angioembolization in pediatric polytrauma patients: WITH BLUNT SPLENIC INJURYAngioembolization in Pediatric Blunt Splenic Injury. J Pediatr Surg, 56(11), 2045-2051. (Read full article)
    33. Taylor MA, Knochel ML, Proctor SJ, Brockmeyer DL, Runyon LA, Fenton SJ, Russell KW (2020). Pediatric trauma telemedicine in a rural state: Lessons learned from a 1-year experience. J Pediatr Surg, 56(2), 385-389. (Read full article)
    34. Bell TM, Raymond JL, Mongalo AC, Adams ZW, Rouse TM, Hatcher L, Russell K, Carroll AE (2021). Outpatient Opioid Prescriptions are Associated with Future Substance use Disorders and Overdose Following Adolescent Trauma. Ann Surg, 276(6), e955-e960. (Read full article)
    35. Taylor MA, Cutshall ZA, Eldredge RS, Kastenberg ZJ, Russell KW (2020). High ligation in adolescents: Is it enough? J Pediatr Surg, 56, 1865-1869. (Read full article)
    36. Taylor MA, Rohan AV, Runyon LA, Fenton SJ, Russell KW (2020). The "non-preventable" preventable transfer? An analysis of the care from support services that injured children transferred to a level 1 pediatric trauma center receive. J Pediatr Surg, 56(9), 1638-1642. (Read full article)
    37. Heye P, Russell KW, Laje P (2019). Laparoscopic pyloromyotomy can be performed safely by senior pediatric surgery trainees without supervision at high volume centers. J Pediatr Surg, 55(10), 2080-2082. (Read full article)
    38. Taylor MA 2nd, Hewes HA, Bolinger CD, Fenton SJ, Russell KW (2020). Established Time Goals Can Increase the Efficiency of Trauma Resuscitation. Cureus, 12(8), e9524. (Read full article)
    39. Yang MJ, Fenton S, Russell K, Yost CC, Yoder BA (2020). Left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia: can we improve survival while decreasing ECMO? J Perinatol, 40(6), 935-942. (Read full article)
    40. Swendiman RA, Sharoky CE, Russell KW, Goldshore MA, Blinman TA, Nance ML (2019). Life-saving interventions in pediatric trauma: A National Trauma Data Bank experience. J Trauma Acute Care Surg, 87(6), 1321-1327. (Read full article)
    41. Pruitt LCC, Swords DS, Russell KW, Rollins MD, Skarda DE (2019). Prescription vs. consumption: Opioid overprescription to children after common surgical procedures. J Pediatr Surg, 54(11), 2195-2199. (Read full article)
    42. Katz MG, Russell KW (2019). Injury from E-Cigarette Explosion. N Engl J Med, 380(25), 2460. (Read full article)
    43. Russell KW, Scaife CL, Weber DC, Windsor JS, Wheeler AR, Smith W, Wedmore I, McIntosh SE, Lieberman JR, Wilderness Medical Society (2014). Wilderness Medical Society practice guidelines for the treatment of acute pain in remote environments. Wilderness Environ Med, 25(1), 41-9. (Read full article)

    Case Report

    1. Taylor MA 2nd, Spanos SP, Fenton SJ, Russell KW (2020). Ball Magnets Clicked Together on the Epiglottis. Cureus, 12(5), e8181. (Read full article)

    Other

    1. Russell KW, Katz MG, Phillips RC, Kelley-Quon LI, Acker SN, Shahi N, Lee JH, Fialkowski EA, Nacharaju D, Smith CA, Jensen AR, Mueller CM, Padilla BE, Ignacio RC, Ourshalimian S, Wang KS, Ostlie DJ, Fenton SJ, Kastenberg ZJ, Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium (2023). Corrigendum to Adolescent Vaping-Associated Trauma in the Western United States [J Surg Res. 2022 Aug;276:251-255]. J Surg Res (294, pp. 247-248). United States. (Read full article)

    Video/Film/CD/Web/Podcast

    1. Russell KW (2023). Keep an Eye Out for Hidden Dangers This Christmas. Studio 5 KSL, Salt Lake City, UT [Web]. Available: https://studio5.ksl.com/eye-out-hidden-dangers-this-christmas/.
    2. Russell KW (2023). Trauma experts explain how people can avoid getting hit by a car. KSL TV, Salt Lake City, UT. [Web]. Available: https://ksltv.com/600567/trauma-experts-explain-how-people-can-avoid-getting-hit-by-a-car/.
    3. Russell KW, Rollins MD, Barnhart DC, Mone MC, Meyers RL, Skarda DE, Soukup ES, Black RE, Molitor MS, Stoddard GJ, Scaife ER (2014). Cutting health care costs one appendix at a time. Journal Reference: Charge Awareness Affects Treatment Choice. Annals of Surgery, 1 DOI:10.1097/SLA [Web]. ScienceDaily. Available: http://www.sciencedaily.com.

  • News & Podcasts

    News