Christopher Scott Klifto

Christopher S. Klifto grew up outside Philadelphia. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University where he received a degree in Chemical and Biomechanical Engineering. He received his medical degree from Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and completed his Orthopaedic residency and Hand and Upper Extremity fellowship at NYU- Hospital for Joint Diseases.

Dr. Klifto is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in upper extremity. He treats orthopaedic conditions for the shoulder and elbow including arthritis, rotator cuff injuries, labral tears, frozen shoulder, sports injuries, fractures, tendon injuries, cubital tunnel syndrome. He treats patients both conservatively and surgically; meeting with each patient, hearing their goals and determining the best plan of care together. He specializes in shoulder surgeries such as reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, anatomic shoulder arthroplasty and shoulder hemiarthroplasty. He also performs rotator cuff repair, shoulder labral reconstruction, and shoulder arthroscopy. He treats upper extremity fractures including shoulder and clavicle, humeral shaft, and elbow injuries. He chose orthopaedics from having injuries himself over the years, so he understands what patients are going through when they see him and treat them with as much compassion and respect as possible. "I am very involved in Research, with a particular focus in the shoulder. The research here at Duke is second to none; the best minds are here in one area, all collaborating and trying to figure out how to get better. The most gratifying part of my job is to see patients get back to the level of activity where they would like to be.”

He is a Clinical Associate Professor at Duke University. He has published articles in nationally recognized publications on many conditions of the upper extremity and continues to actively conduct clinical research and contribute to national textbooks.

Dr. Klifto serves as the division lead of shoulder and elbow surgery at the Durham VA in addition to his clinical practice at Duke Orthopaedics/North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic. 

Dr. Klifto lives in Durham with his wife Meredith, an Ophthalmologist. He has three wonderful daughters (Madeline, Anna, and Grace) and a labradoodle named Goose that are the joys of his life. He enjoys golf, fishing, skiing, tennis, kite boarding and professional and collegiate sports.