Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS
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Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo has been a partner at Long Island Plastic Surgical Group since 2010. She received her undergraduate degree from Duke University and MD from George Washington School of Medicine, where she graduated with distinction. Dr. Ruotolo received her general surgery and plastic surgery training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and pursued specialty training in Pediatric Congenital and Craniofacial Surgery during a fellowship at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
Dr. Rachel A. Ruotolo is a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in pediatric craniofacial surgery. She treats patients with conditions such as cleft lip and palate, protruding ears, syndactyly (fused digits), ear reconstruction for microtia, and craniosynostosis (premature closure of skull sutures resulting in abnormal skull and facial shape). Dr. Ruotolo also specializes in facial trauma in children and adults, including orbital, zygomatic and mandible fractures, as well as cranioplasty (skull reconstruction) after craniotomy.
Dr. Ruotolo’s mission to help children also extends outside of the medical field, as she serves on the board of Child Abuse Prevention Services, Long Island’s leading non-profit resource on the prevention of child abuse and neglect. In 2010, she was honored by the organization with the Distinguished Service to Children Award. During the same year, Dr. Ruotolo received the prestigious Healthcare Hero Award from Long Island Business News.
Dr. Ruotolo is also actively involved in volunteer medical missions and has traveled abroad to treat adults and children in developing countries around the word. In 2007, she volunteered with Project Vietnam, which provides healthcare for children in rural parts of the Southeast Asian nation. Following the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Dr. Ruotolo treated victims at the El Buen Samaritano Hospital in the Dominican Republic.
Dr. Ruotolo has authored numerous publications and has given extensive presentations on pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery throughout the United States. She also is a member of the American Society of Craniofacial Surgery, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association, the Medical Society of the State of New York and the Nassau County Medical Society.
If you have questions and would like to email Dr. Ruotolo directly please contact her at rruotolo@lipsg.com.
View Dr. Ruotolo Patient Testimonials
Education
- 1999: George Washington School of Medicine, Washington D.C. – Doctor of Medicine with Distinction
- 1994:Duke University, Durham, North Carolina – Bachelor of Science Cum Laude
Training
- 2006–2007: Fellow: Pediatric Congenital and Craniofacial Surgery; Medical City Children’s Hospital, TX
- 2005–2006: Chief Resident: Division of Plastic Surgery; Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, PA
- 2003–2005: Resident: Division of Plastic Surgery; Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, PA
- 2002–2003: Research Fellow: Craniofacial Biology Laboratory; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
- 2000–2002: Resident: Department of General Surgery; Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, PA
- 1999–2000: Intern: Department of General Surgery; Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, PA
Teaching
- 2008-present: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nassau University Medical Center
- 2006-2007: Medical Staff, Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery – Medical City Dallas Hospital. Dallas, TX 75230
Honors and Awards
- 2014-2016 Castle Connolly Top Doctor, NY Metro area
- 2013 Patients’ Choice Award
- 2011 Long Island Press Fortune 52 Honoree: Recognizing local women who make significant and unique contributions in their community or workplace
- 2010 Physician Healthcare Hero Award, Long Island Business News
- 2010 Distinguished Service to Children Award, CAPS (Child Abuse Prevention Services)
- 2010 Certificate of Recognition Nassau County Legislature, Volunteer mission to Haiti
- 2003 Junior Investigator Award, American Association of Pediatrics Conference, Plastic Surgery Section
- 1999 Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society
- 1998 Alec Horowitz Award for Exceptional Proficiency in Surgery, George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences
- 1997 Pathology Honor Society, George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences
- 1997 James Douglas Goddard Award, George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences
- 1994 Cum Laude, Duke University
- 1991-1994 Duke University Dean’s List with Distinction
- 1990-1994 National City Foundation Scholarship Award
Affiliations
- American Board of Plastic Surgery
- American Society of Craniofacial Surgery
- American Medical Association
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Fellow-American College of Surgeons
- American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association
- Medical Society of the State of New York
- Nassau County Medical Society
- Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Pediatric Neurofibromatosis Clinic of Long Island
Hospital Affiliations
- Cohen Children’s Medical Center
- Good Samaritan Hospital
- Long Island Jewish Medical Center
- Mercy Medical Center
- Nassau University Medical Center
- North Shore University Hospital
- Plainview Hospital
- South Nassau Communities Hospital
- Southside Hospital
- St. Francis Hospital
- Syosset Hospital
- Winthrop-University Hospital
Board Membership
- Partner, Board of Directors Long Island Plastic Surgical Group, PC
- Board of Directors, Child Abuse Prevention Services (CAPS)
Research Interests
- Velopharyngeal insufficiency in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
- Long term, post-surgical anthropometric growth patterns in single suture synostosis
- Lip adhesion and nasal conformers as an alternative to NAM in cleft lip repair
Media Appearances
- Verizon FIOS, “Heroes on Our Island” September 2012, June 2014
- Newsday, “Ellis’ Long Islander of the Week”
- Garden City News “Elected to the Board of CAPS”
- News 12 Long Island “Helping Haiti”
- WLNY TV 10/55 “Treating Wounds and Infections: Haiti Earthquake”
- Verizon Fios1: Push Pause “Mission:Haiti”
- Image Magazine “Prominent Surgeons Give Back”
- Garden City Patch “Garden City Doctors Heading to Haiti”
- Blog Talk Radio: The Passions and Possibilities Project
Publications
- Book Chapters: Velopharyngeal Insufficiency. Richard E. Kirschner, Rachel A. Ruotolo. Current Reconstructive Surgery. Serletti and Losee. (in press)
- Book Chapters: Surgical Management of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction. Richard E. Kirschner, Rachel A. Ruotolo. Cleft Lip and Palate, Berkowitz, 2nd edition.
- Single Sutural Craniosynostosis: Surgical Outcomes and Long Term Growth. Jeffrey A. Fearon, MD, Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, and John Kolar, PhD. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal 123: 635, 2009
- Cleft Lip Repair: A Unique Sutureless Skin Closure Technique. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS and Jeffrey A. Fearon, MD. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal, March 2009.
- Velopharyngeal Anatomy in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: A Three-Dimensional Cephalometric Analysis. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, Nestor A. Veitia, MD, Aaron Corbin, BS, Joseph McDonough, MS, Cynthia B. Solot, MA, CCC, Donna McDonald-McGinn, MS, Elaine H. Zackai, MD, Beverly S. Emanuel, PhD, Don LaRossa, MD, Raanan Arens, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal 43(4) 446-56, 2006.
- Hybrid Constructs for Craniofacial Reconstruction: Sustained Gene Delivery Using Demineralized Bone Matrix Putty. James M. Smartt, MA, Ines C. Lin, BS, Elizabeth Kim, MD, Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, Nestor A. Veitia, MD, Timothy M. Crombleholme, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. Annals of Plastic Surgery, Vol 52, Number 6, June 2004, 592-597
- Mesenteric Ischemia in the Elderly. RA Ruotolo and SRT Evans. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, August 1999.
Abstracts and Oral Presentations
- Use of Enzymatic Debridement for Necrotic Soft Tissue Infection in a Preterm Infant. Yukiko Miura, Jessica Huskey, Rachel Ruotolo, Renu Aggarwal Pediatrics, Feb 2016, 137 (Supplement 3) 473A
- Cleft Lip and Palate: Diagnosis and Management During the Pre- and Post-natal Period. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD. Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of NY February 18th, 2016
- A Staged Approach for the Treatment of Facial Hemihypertrophy and Lower Facial Paralysis. M. M. Melendez, R. L. Simpson, M. Dobryansky, R. A. Ruotolo. ACPA, Puerto Rico, April 5, 2011
- Single Sutural Craniosynostosis: Surgical Outcomes and Long-Term Growth. Jeffrey A. Fearon, MD and Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS. ASPS, Baltimore, MD, October 29, 2007
- Single Sutural Craniosynostosis: Surgical Outcomes and Long-Term Growth. Jeffrey A. Fearon, MD and Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD. ICFS, Brazil, September 2007
- Variations on a Bandeau. Jeffrey A. Fearon, MD and Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS. ACPA, Broomfield, Colorado, April 27, 2007
- Cleft Lip Repair: A “Suture-Less” Skin Closure. Jeffrey A. Fearon, MD and Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS. ACPA, Broomfield, Colorado, April 25, 2007
- Alar Wing Graft: Tip Rhinoplasty Technique for the Cosmetic Patient. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, Jesse A. Goldstein, MD, Don LaRossa, MD. Ivy Society, Pittsburgh, PA, June 3, 2006
- Velar Motion and VPI Treatment Outcomes in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, C. Francisco Espinel, MD, Cynthia B. Solot, MA, CCC, Donna M. McDonald-McGinn, MS, Elaine H. Zackai, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. Ivy Society, Pittsburgh, PA, June 2, 2006
- Velar Motion and VPI Treatment Outcomes in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, C. Francisco Espinel, MD, Cynthia B. Solot, MA, CCC, Donna M. McDonald-McGinn, MS, Elaine H. Zackai, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. ACPA conference in Vancouver on April 8, 2006.
- Lip Adhesion and Nasal Conformers: Staging Cleft Lip Repair to Optimize Outcome. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD,, FACS, C. Francisco Espinel, MD, Don LaRossa, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. First Annual Whitaker Lectureship in Philadelphia, PA, May 19, 2006
- Lip Adhesion and Nasal Conformers: Staging Cleft Lip Repair to Optimize Outcome. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, C. Francisco Espinel, MD, Don LaRossa, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. ACPA, Vancouver on April 5, 2006
- Velar Motion and VPI Treatment Outcomes in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, C. Francisco Espinel, MD, Cynthia B. Solot, MA, CCC, Donna M. McDonald-McGinn, MS, Elaine H. Zackai, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. Senior Resident’s Conference, Arlington, VA on March 23, 2006
- Soluble Mediators Produced by Fetal Dural Cells and Calvarial Osteoblasts Stimulate Proliferation and Inhibit Osteodifferentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells. David Yan, M.D., David S. Cabiling, B.A. , Shushan Jacob, M.D., Rachel A. Ruotolo, M.D., F.A.C.S., Nestor A. Veitia, M.D., Hyun-Duck Nah, D.M.D., Ph.D., and Richard E. Kirschner, M.D. PSRC, Toronto, Canada, May 20, 2005
- Management of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency in 22q11.2 Deletion (Velocardiofacial) Syndrome: Optimizing Surgical Outcome. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, Cynthia B. Solot, MA, CCC, Don LaRossa, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. Ivy Society, Valley Forge, PA, April 16, 2005
- Speech Outcome After Surgical Management of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Richard Kirschner, MD, Cynthia Solot, MA, CCC, Rachel Ruotolo, MD, FACS, Jason Catanzaro, Donna McDonald-McGinn, MS, Elaine Zackai, MD, Don LaRossa, MD. ACPA, Myrtle Beach, SC, April 8, 2005
- Velopharyngeal Dysfunction in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Do Aberrant Carotid Arteries Preclude Surgical Intervention? Rachel Ruotolo, MD, FACS, Cynthia Solot, MA, CCC, Don LaRossa, MD, Richard Kirschner, MD. ACPA, Myrtle Beach, SC, April 7, 2005
- Velopharyngeal Anatomy in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: A Three Dimensional Cephalometric Analysis. Cynthia B. Solot, Richard E. Kirschner, Rachel A. Ruotolo, Ranaan Arens. 2004 SENTAC annual meeting, December 5, 2004
- Velopharyngeal Anatomy in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: A Three-Dimensional Cephalometric Analysis. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, Nestor A. Veitia, MD, Aaron Corbin, BS, Joseph McDonough, MS, Cynthia B. Solot, MA, CCC, Donna McDonald-McGinn, MS, Elaine H. Zackai, MD, Beverly S. Emanuel, PhD, Don LaRossa, MD, Raanan Arens, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. American Association of Pediatrics, New Orleans, October 2003
- Influence of Dural Signaling on Fetal Osteoblast Proliferation and Differentiation. Nestor A. Veitia, Rachel A. Ruotolo, Ines Lin, Elizabeth Kim, Miguel Sena-Esteves, Elisabeth H. Javazon, Hyun-Duck Nah, and Richard E. Kirschner. Oral presentation at the Plastic Surgery Research Council, Las Vegas, NV, April 26, 2003 and at the AAPS, Baltimore, MD, May 5, 2003
- Influence of TGF-β Isoforms on Fetal Dural Cell and Calvarial Osteoblast Differentiation. Kim EM, Ruotolo RA, Veitia NA, Lin I, Nah HD, Kirschner RE. Plastic Surgery Research Council, Las Vegas, NV, April 26, 2003
- Influence of Dural Signaling on Fetal Osteoblast Proliferation and Differentiation. Nestor A. Veitia, Rachel A. Ruotolo, Ines Lin, Elizabeth Kim, Miguel Sena-Esteves, Elisabeth H. Javazon, Hyun-Duck Nah, and Richard E. Kirschner. Plastic Surgery Research Council, Las Vegas, NV, April 26, 2003
- Velopharyngeal Anatomy in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: A Three-Dimensional Cephalometric Analysis. Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, FACS, Nestor A. Veitia, MD, Aaron Corbin, BS, Joseph McDonough, MS, Cynthia B. Solot, MA, CCC, Donna McDonald-McGinn, MS, Elaine H. Zackai, MD, Beverly S. Emanuel, PhD, Don LaRossa, MD, Raanan Arens, MD, and Richard E. Kirschner, MD. ACPA 60th anniversary conference, Asheville, NC, April 11, 2003
