The Department of Surgery

C. Lindsay McKnight, MD

Associate Professor
Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Division of Trauma & Critical Care Surgery

Clinical Focus

General Surgery, Trauma, Critical Care

Research Focus

Dr. McKnight’s research focuses on improving outcomes in trauma, emergency general surgery, and critical care through evidence-based practice and multidisciplinary collaboration. Her work centers on perioperative and critical care nutrition, injury prevention, and quality improvement in surgical education and patient care. She is particularly interested in optimizing recovery and reducing complications in high-risk surgical populations, as well as enhancing training and wellness among surgical residents and fellows.

Education

Medical School

East Tennessee State University, Quillen College of Medicine, Johnson City, TN

Residency
General Surgery, Greenville Health System, Greenville, SC

Fellowship

Surgical Critical Care, Queens Medical Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI

Certification

American Board of Surgery, General Surgery
American Board of Surgery, Surgical Critical Care
Certified Nutrition Support Clinician

Professional Affiliations

American College of Surgeons
American Medical Association
Southeastern Surgical Congress
Society of Critical Care Medicine
The Eastern Association for the Surgery of trauma
Association of Academic Surgery

Current Publications

Smith Z, McKinney AL, Bollig R, McKnight CL, Daley BJ, Rowe AS.
Evaluation of alcohol withdrawal assessment in mechanically ventilated patients in a trauma/surgical intensive care unit. Intensive Crit Care Nurs. 2025 Jul 7;91:104144. doi: 10.1016/j.iccn.2025.104144. Online ahead of print.

Budney S, Middleton E, Kleppe K, Mancini M, Mancini G, Phillips M, McKnight C, Griepentrog J, Fafaj A, Blake KE.
Outcomes of quadratus lumborum blocks for pain control after open abdominal wall reconstruction: A single institution retrospective analysis. Hernia. 2025 Mar 12;29(1):118. doi: 10.1007/s10029-025-03296-w.

Murdock P, Park J, Heidel E, Miya-Hildebrand G, Russ A, McKnight C, Vaghaiwalla T.
The impact of applicant signaling on the general surgery match process: A single institution experience. J Surg Educ. 2025 Feb 21;82(5):103476. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2025.103476. Online ahead of print.

Gee KN, Clegg DJ, Salomon BJ, Rowe AS, McKnight LC.
The role of procalcitonin in predicting failure of non-operative management in bowel obstructions. Am Surg. 2024 Sep;90(9):2338-2340. doi: 10.1177/00031348241241689. Epub 2024 Apr 3.

Nadaud J, Heidel E, Daley B, McKnight C.
Outcomes after implementation of a fragility fracture pathway in ground level falls. J Surg Res. 2024 Sep;301:704-708. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2024.07.083. Epub 2024 Aug 20.

Nadaud J, Heidel E, Daley B, McKnight C.
The effect of a hip fragility pathway on outcomes of ground level falls in the elderly. Am Surg. 2024 Jul;90(7):1948-1950. doi: 10.1177/00031348241241685. Epub 2024 Mar 26.

Salomon B, Griffard J, Patel J, Wideman M, Mcgee T, Corbitt N, Rowe AS, Price C, Heidel R, McKnight CL.
Efficacy of cefazolin versus ceftriaxone for extremity open fracture management at a level 1 trauma center. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2022 Sep;23(7):675-681. doi: 10.1089/sur.2022.049. Epub 2022 Aug 4.

Balmer JC, Hieb N, Daley BJ, Many HR, Heidel E, Rowe S, McKnight CL.
Continued relevance of initial temperature measurement in trauma patients. Am Surg. 2022 Mar;88(3):424-428. doi: 10.1177/00031348211048833. Epub 2021 Nov 3.

Current Presentations

Hovell M, McKnight C, Proffit G, Hungerford A, Rowe S, Berry D . Behind the bite: Ownership and breed as predictors of dog bite severity. Presented at Tennessee Chapter of American College of Surgeons ; 2025 - Aug 7; Paris, TN.

Howk A, McKnight CL, Edwards J, Russ A, Miya-Hildebrand G, Rowe AS, Daley BJ. Reduced resident work hours do not alter ABSITE performance. Presented at Southeastern Surgical Congress; 2025 Feb - 15; New Orleans, LA.

Willhite S, Wright T, Rowe S, McKnight L. Pre-hospital needle decompression: Does location matter? Presented at Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma; 2025 Jan - 14; Tuscon, AZ.

Wilkins L, Howk A, Heidel E, McKnight L. Outcome of self-inflicted trauma patients with behavior health diagnoses. Presented at TN Chapter of the American College of Surgeons; 2024 Sept - 1; Chattanooga, TN.

Park J, Murdock P, Miya-Hildebrand G, Phillips M, McKnight C, Russ A, Vaghaiwalla T. The impact of applicant signaling on the general surgery match process: A single institution experience. Presented at Central Surgical Association; 2024 June - 6; Louisville, KY.

Murdock P, Park J, Russ A, Phillips S, McKnight CL, Vaghaiwalla T. The impact of applicant signaling on the general surgery match process: A single institution experience. Presented at Women In Surgery Career Symposium; 2024 March - 24; Tampa ,Florida.

Salomon B, Clegg D, Gee K, Rowe AS, McKnight CL. The role of procalcitonin in predicting failure of nonoperative management of bowel obstructions. Presented at Tennessee Chapter of American College of Surgeons; 2023 July-27; Spencer, TN.

Kinnear TW, McKnight CL, Gaines TE, McNally MM. Aorto-Esophageal Fistula Management after Denture Erosion and Esophageal Stent Placement. Presented at Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery; 2022 March-19; Las Vegas, Nevada.