Donna Pacicca, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon at Connecticut Children’s. Dr. Pacicca’s clinical interests include pediatric and adolescent sports medicine, fracture, and reconstruction. Dr. Pacicca is also a basic science researcher with a focus on single-cell genomics of bone and cartilage and the effects of diabetes on bone cells. She is a former Division I soccer player and continues to enjoy running and cycling.

Education

New York University School of Medicine

Residency

Montefiore Hospital/Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Fellowship

Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children's Hospital

  • American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Visiting Associate Professor, University of Connecticut School of Medicine

  • Knewtson KE, Gonzalez Flores JG, Pacicca DM, Robinson JL. Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals Sex Differences in Human Meniscal Cell Response to Estrogen Based on Dosing Kinetics. bioRxiv (doi: 10.1101/2020.04.27.064451), April 2020
  • Pacicca DM, Brown T, Watkins D, et al. Elevated glucose acts directly on osteocytes to increase sclerostin expression in diabetes. Sci Rep 9, 17353 (2019) PMID: 31757981
  • McLeod TV, Israel M, Christino MA, Chung JS, McKay SD, Lang PJ, Bell DR; PRiSM Sports Specialization Research Interest Group, Chan CM, Crepeau A, Davis E, Fletcher AL, Laniak J, McCaffrey K, Pacicca D, Riederer M, Rizzone K, Rush JK, Zaslow T. Sport Participation and Specialization Characteristics Among Pediatric Soccer Athletes. Orthop J Sports Med. 2019 Mar 27;7(3):2325967119832399. PMID: 30944839
  • Khoury M, Robinson AL, Staggs V, Dunoski B, and Pacicca D. The Relationship of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Insertion Sites to the Distal Femoral Growth Centers: an MRI study. Arthroscopy: Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery, 33(6):e6. June 2017.
  • Shaw KA, Dunoski BS, Mardis N, Pacicca D. The Effect of Bony Parameters on the Pediatric Knee: Normal versus Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury versus Tibial Spine Avulsion Fracture. Surg J (N Y). 2016 Dec 22;2(4):e151-e155. 2016 Oct. PMID: 28825010

Locations Where I See Patients

Connecticut Children’s Specialty Care Center – Danbury

105 Newtown Road
Danbury, CT06810
United States

Connecticut Children’s Specialty Care Center – Westport

191 Post Road West
Westport, CT06880
United States

Exterior view of 399 Farmington Ave in Farmington

Connecticut Children’s Specialty Care Center – Farmington (399 Farmington Ave.)

399 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT06032
United States

Exterior view of Specialty Surgery Center in Stamford

Connecticut Children’s Specialists at Specialty Surgical Center in Stamford

1281 East Main Street
Stamford, CT06902
United States

Recent Blog Posts by Donna Pacicca, MD

Blog - Growing Healthy

Kids' Bones Are Different: The Importance of Pediatric Orthopedic Care

Young boy in a football jersey holding a football
Blog - Growing Healthy

Cardiac Arrest and Sports Injuries: What Parents Should Know

5.0
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Provider showed concern

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Provider explained things clearly

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Provider included you in decisions

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Provider discussed treatment options

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Most Recent Comments

March 3, 2025
She was very professional. She listened to our concerns. She also explained thing very well. I felt like she genuinely cared about my child's need . I will recommend her a 1000 times over .
March 3, 2025
Dr P was surprisingly well informed about [my child]'s genetic condition. She is the first specialist we've met who was familiar with it. She was able to direct us to a more appropriate specialist. I'm so very thankful that we connected with her!