Theodore E. Habarth-Morales, MD

About Dr. Habarth-Morales

Dr. Theodore Habarth-Morales is an intern in the Penn Plastic Surgery integrated residency. Born in Chile and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, Dr. Habarth graduated with his bachelor’s from Arcadia University and medical degree from Jefferson Medical College. He completed multiple research fellowships during his medical school tenure and is committed to evidence-based investigation in the field. He is also a commissioned officer in the United States Army, and his interests primarily include the surgical reconstruction of traumatic injuries, as well as all aspects of plastic surgery. He and his family reside in South Philadelphia.

Education

2019 - 2025
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University 

2015 - 2019
Arcadia University 

2009 - 2015
Valley Forge Military Academy

Societies

• American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), Resident Member #173369
• American College of Surgeons, Resident Member #3666918
• American Association for Hand Surgery, Candidate Member
• Excelsior Surgical Society, Member
• ASPS Military Forum, Member
• Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), Member #107527

Awards

FTPCC 250th Anniversary Unit Medal

Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (ARCAM)

National Defense Service Medal (NDSM)

Best Society Paper Award, American Association of Plastic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts.
May 19, 2024. "The Use Of Tranexamic Acid In Cosmetic Plastic Surgery: Do We Really Need It?"

Outstanding Paper Presentation, American Society of Plastic Surgeons Meeting, Austin, Texas. October 2023.
"Beating the Curve Longitudinal Evaluation of Surgeon Proficiency in Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction Post-Training."

Cannon Society Student Scholarship, American Association of Plastic Surgeons. March 2023.

Winter Meeting Travel Grant, American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons, New Orleans, Louisiana. February 2023.

William Parry MD Award, 2023 Annual Meeting, Rocky Mountain Traumatological Society, Snowmass Village, Colorado. January 2023.

American Association for Hand Surgery Travel Grant, 2023 Annual Meeting, Fort Lauderdale Florida. January 2023.

Cover Article, The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery Volume 33 - Issue 5. July 2022.
"Correction of Metopic Synostosis with Step Expanded Frontal Bar: Revisiting a Technique."

Best Paper in Trauma Award, Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. May 2022.
Direct to OR Resuscitation of Abdominal Trauma: an NTDB Propensity Matched Outcomes Comparison Study.

The Chris Tzarnas MD Surgical Research Award February 7, 2022.
Philadelphia Academy of Surgery. Philadelphia, PA.

Unit Commendation Citation May 28, 2019.
Lower Providence Ambulance. Eagleville, PA

Ellington Beavers Award for Intellectual Inquiry. Arcadia University. Glenside, PA.
Evaluating the Ability of MAD28 to Target Dormant Tumor Cells. 

Research

Dr. Habarth has been involved in scholarly inquiry since his time in his time at Arcadia where he investigated novel anti-cancer agents and 3-D cellular modeling. During medical school, his research interests led to involvement in multiple projects both at Jefferson and Penn in trauma surgery as well as plastic surgery. He was a research fellow under Dr. E.J. Caterson and Dr. John P. Fischer during two research fellowships at Nemours Children’s Health and in the Division of Plastic Surgery at Penn where he explored topics ranging from the spectrum of plastic surgery. His current interests include lower extremity reconstruction.

Publications

1. Lemdani MS, Honig SE, Habarth-Morales TE, Davis HD, Niu EF, Ewing JN, Broach RB, Serletti JM, Percec I. Comparison of Botulinum Toxin A Formulations for Glabellar Strain Treatment in Women: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2025 May 28:e251335. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.1335. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40434770; PMCID: PMC12120680.
2. Isch EL, Lee J, Self DM, Sambangi A, Habarth-Morales TE, Vaile J, Caterson EJ. Artificial Intelligence in Surgical Coding: Evaluating Large Language Models for Current Procedural Terminology Accuracy in Hand Surgery. J Hand Surg Glob Online. 2025 Jan 9;7(2):181-185. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsg.2024.11.013. PMID: 40182863; PMCID: PMC11963066.
3. Davis HD, Mazzaferro D, Habarth-Morales TE, Messa CA 4th, Talwar AA, Desai AA, McAuliffe PB, Broach RB, Serletti JM, Percec I. A Large Prospective Volumetric and Patient-Reported Outcome Analysis Of Hyaluronic Acid Fillers to the Face. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2025 Apr 1. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000012135. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40178806.
4. Isch EL, Somers S, Duca A, Habarth-Morales TE, Self DM, Caterson EJ. Postoperative Bleeding After Facial Cleft Repair: A Retrospective Review of TriNetX Database. J Craniofac Surg. 2025 Mar 27. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000011302. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40146259.
5. Messa CA, Davis HD, Habarth-Morales TE, Amro C, Broach RB, Fischer JP. Abdominoplasty With Umbilical Hernia Repair: A Long-term Comparative Analysis of Clinical Outcomes. Aesthet Surg J. 2025 Feb 18;45(3):NP71-NP78. doi:10.1093/asj/sjae230. PMID: 39531646. 
6. Rios-Diaz AJ, Habarth-Morales TE, Isch EL, Amro C, Davis HD, Broach RB, Jenkins M, Fischer JP, Serletti JM. Unplanned 180-day Readmissions and Health Care Utilization after Immediate Breast Reconstruction for Breast Cancer. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2024 Dec 23. doi: 10.1055/a-2460-4821. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39496319.
7. Isch EL, Schillinger K, Monzy JN, Galantini G, Self DM, Habarth-Morales TE, Caterson EJ. Return to Play Guidelines in Pediatric Concussion: A Systematic Review of Current Literature. J Craniofac Surg. 2024 Nov 1. doi:10.1097/SCS.0000000000010837. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39485043.
8. Habarth-Morales TE, Isch E, Zavitsanos AP, Wride WM, Davis HD, Rios-Diaz AJ, Broach RB, Fischer JP, Serletti JM, Azoury SC, Jenkins M. The Use of Tranexamic Acid in Breast Reduction and Abdominoplasty: A Review of a Multicenter Federated Electronic Health Record Database. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2024 Sep 9;6:ojae077. doi: 10.1093/asjof/ojae077. PMID: 39430211; PMCID: PMC11487907. 
9. Isch EL, Yanoshak E, Ebbott D, Habarth-Morales TE, Aycart M, Caterson EJ. Demonstrating the Non-inferiority of a Plastic Surgery Microscopic Technique for Hepatic Artery Anastomosis in Pediatric Liver Transplant: A Single-Institution Study. Cureus. 2024 Aug 25;16(8):e67742. doi: 10.7759/cureus.67742. PMID: 39318928; PMCID: PMC11421829.
10. Isch EL, Sarikonda A, Sambangi A, Carreras A, Sircar A, Self DM, Habarth-Morales TE, Caterson EJ, Aycart M. Evaluating the Efficacy of Large Language Models in CPT Coding for Craniofacial Surgery: A Comparative Analysis. J Craniofac Surg. 2024 Sep 2. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000010575. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39221924.
11. Habarth-Morales TE, Davis HD, Rios-Diaz AJ, Broach RB, Serletti JM, Azoury SC, Levin LS, Kovach SJ 3rd, Rhemtulla IA. The Godina Principle in the 21st Century: Free Flap Timing after Isolated Lower Extremity Trauma in a Retrospective National Cohort. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2024 Oct 23. doi:10.1055/a-2404-7634. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39191415.
12. Honig SE, Habarth-Morales TE, Davis HD, Niu EF, Amro C, Broach RB, Serletti JM, Azoury SC. Increased Patient Age as a Risk Factor Following Free Flap Reconstruction after Breast Cancer: A Single Institutional Review of 2,598 Cases. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2025 Feb;41(2):162-169. doi: 10.1055/s-0044-1787728. Epub 2024 Jun 12. PMID: 38866038.
13. Davis HD, Habarth-Morales TE, Messa CA, Broach RB, Lin IC. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation-Associated Compartment Syndrome: Review of a National Database. J Surg Res. 2024 Jun;298:94-100. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2024.02.012. Epub 2024 Apr 8. PMID: 38593603.
14. Rios Diaz AJ, Bevilacqua LA, Habarth-Morales TE, Zalewski A, Metcalfe D, Costanzo C, Yeo CJ, Palazzo F. Primary anastomosis with diverting loop ileostomy vs. Hartmann's procedure for acute diverticulitis: what happens after discharge? Results of a nationwide analysis. Surg Endosc. 2024 May;38(5):2777-2787. doi: 10.1007/s00464-024-10752-8. Epub 2024 Apr 5. PMID: 38580758; PMCID: PMC11078837.
15. Habarth-Morales TE, Davis HD, Duca A, Salinero LK, Chandragiri S, Rios-Diaz AJ, Broach RB, Caterson EJ, Swanson JW. Factors associated with late surgical correction of craniosynostosis: A decade-long review of the United States nationwide readmission database. J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2024 May;52(5):585-590. doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2024.02.016. Epub 2024 Feb 12. PMID: 38448339.
16. Niu EF, Honig SE, Wang KE, Amro C, Davis HD, Habarth-Morales TE, Broach RB, Fischer JP. Obesity as a Risk Factor in Cosmetic Abdominal Body Contouring: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2024 Jun;48(11):2121-2131. doi: 10.1007/s00266-023-03602-w. Epub 2023 Aug 29. PMID: 37644187.
17. Habarth-Morales TE, Rios-Diaz AJ, Isch E, Chandragiri S, Qi L, Ni R, Caterson EJ. Increased Incidence of Suspected Smoke Inhalation During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A National Database Study. J Burn Care Res. 2023 Jul 5;44(4):945-948. doi: 10.1093/jbcr/irac155. Erratum in: J Burn Care Res. 2024 Jan 5;45(1):259. doi: 10.1093/jbcr/irad169. PMID: 36260537; PMCID: PMC9620764.
18. Habarth-Morales TE, Rios-Diaz AJ, Isch E, Ni RL, Hamou SJ, Caterson EJ. Incidence and Epidemiology of Traumatic Tympanic Membrane Rupture: A National Trauma Data Bank Analysis. J Craniofac Surg. 2023 Jan-Feb 01;34(1):168-172. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000009013. Epub 2022 Sep 30. PMID: 36190699.
19. Habarth-Morales TE, Rios-Diaz AJ, Caterson EJ. Pandemic Puppies: Man's Best Friend or Public Health Problem? A Multidatabase Study. J Surg Res. 2022 Aug;276:203-207. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.02.041. Epub 2022 Apr 1. PMID: 35378364; PMCID: PMC9576631.
20. Habarth-Morales TE, Rios-Diaz AJ, Gadomski SP, Stanley T, Donnelly JP, Koenig GJ Jr, Cohen MJ, Marks JA. Direct to OR resuscitation of abdominal trauma: An NTDB propensity matched outcomes study. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2022 May 1;92(5):792-799. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000003536. Epub 2022 Jan 18. PMID: 35045059.
21. Habarth-Morales TE, Piatt JH, Caterson EJ. Treatment of Sagittal Craniosynostosis Using Osteoplastic Parietal Craniotomy Flap With Distraction Osteogenesis: A Variation on Technique. J Craniofac Surg. 2022 Jul-Aug 01;33(5):e491-e493. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000008396. Epub 2021 Dec 17. PMID:34930881.