Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Jose Franco, MD
Associate Professor
Doctor of Medicine (MD)
Medical College of Wisconsin, 1990
Residency
Medical College of Wisconsin, 1993
Fellowship
Gastroenterology, Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, 1993-1995

 Clinical Interests & Patients Appointments

PUBLICATIONS

Manuscripts

1. Franco J, Huffman J, Fried B:  Infectivity, growth and development of echinostoma revolutum. (Degenea: Echinostomadie) in the golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus.  Journal of Parasitology, 1986;72: 142-47.

2. Franco J,  Huffman J, Fried B:  The effects of crowding on echinostoma revolutum (Digenea: Echinostomadie) in experimentally infected golden hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus. Journal of Parasitology, 1988;74: 142-47.

3. Fried B, Huffman J, Franco J: Single and five-worm infections of echinostoma revolutum (Tremadoda) in the golden hamster.  International Journal of Parasitology, 1988; 18: 179-81.

4. Franco J, Massey BT, Komorowski R: Cytomegalovirus infection causing pseudomembranous colitis. Amer J Gastroenterol 1994; 89: 2246-8.

5. Saeian K,  Rochling FA, Burke R, Bragg DS, Franco J: Faculty and trainee knowledge of hepatitis C infection at a tertiary care medical center.  Wisconsin Medical Journal pp 34-36; Feb. 1998.

6. Saeian K, Franco J, Adams M: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after renal transplantation without cirrhosis or viral hepatitis.  Liver Transplantation & Surgery 5(1);46-49: 1999.

7. Franco J, Saeian K: Biliary Tract Inflammatory Disorders: Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Primary Biliary Cirrhosis.  Current Gastroenterology Reports.  1:95-101, 1999.

8. Franco, J. Pruritus. Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology. 2:241-246, 1999.

9. Franco J, Newsomer J, Adams MB, Saeian K.  Auxiliary liver transplantation in acute fatty liver of pregnancy.  Obstetrics and Gynecology, 95-96, 1042:6/2000.

10. Franco J, Mehdi S. Reye’s syndrome in an adult.  A case report. Wisconsin Medical Journal. November, 2000.

11. Christians K, Pitt H, Rilling W,  Franco J, Quiroz F, Adams M, Wallace J, Quebbeman E. Hepatocellular Carcinoma:  Multimodality Management.  Surgery. Volume 130, No. 4, 554-9, 2001

12. Knox J, Remler B, Franco J, Saeian K.  Minocycline-Associated toxic Hepatitis, Demyelinating Encephalomyelopathy and Cardiomyopathy. Awaiting publication in Practical Gastroenterology, 2001.

13. Hines R, Hopp A, Franco J, Saeian K, Begun F. Alternative processing of the human FMO6 gene renders transcripts unable of encoding a functional flavin-containing monooxygenase. Molecular Pharmacology. Vol 62, No. 2, pgs 320-5, 2002

14. Franco J, Saeian K. Role of Antiviral Therapy in the Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. Volume 13, Number 9, Part 2, 2002

15. Berger W, Saeian K, Dua K, Franco J, Welin S, Sharker R. Gastro-Jejunal Tube Placement by Transgastromal Jejunoscopy: Characteristics of 176 Insertions (nearing submission)

16. Saeian K, Bajaj J, Franco J, Knox J, Daniel J, Peine C, McKee D, Varma R. High-dose vitamin E supplementation does not diminish ribavirin-associated haemolysis in hepatitis C treatment with combination standard alpha interferon and ribavirin. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. Vol. 20, pgs 1189-1193, 2004.

17. Bajaj J, Saeian K, Varma R, Franco J, Binion D. Increased rates of early adverse reactions to azathioprine in patients with Crohn’s disease compared to autoimmune hepatitis: a tertiary referral center experience. American Journal of Gastroenterology. Vol 100, Number 5, pgs 1121-1125, 2005

18. Franco J. Biliary complications in liver transplant recipients. Current Gastroenterology Reports, 2005

19. Kiely J, Rilling W, Touzios J, Hieb R, Franco J, Saeian K, Quebbeman E, Pitt H. Chemoembolization in Patients at High Risk: Results and Complications. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 17:47-53, 2006.

20. Bajaj J, Franco J. Endoscopic Band Ligation of Esophageal Varices in Patients on Anticoagulation Therapy: A Case Series. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. Currently in press. 2007.

21. Franco J. Cirrhosis: Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, and Management. Kochar’s Clinical Medicine, 5th Edition. Currently in Press.

22. Franco J. Evaluation of the Patient with Acute Abdominal Pain. Kochar’s Clinical Medicine, 5th Edition. Currently in Press

23. Franco J. Benign and Malignant Tumors of the Liver. Kochar’s Clinical Medicine, 5th Edition. Currently in Press.

24. Torre D., Franco, J. Diarrhea. Kochar’s Clinical Medicine, 5th Edition. Currently in Press.

25. JS Bajaj, K Saeian, MD Verber, D Hischke, RG Hoffmann, J Franco, RR Varma, SM Rao. Inhibitory control test is a simple method to diagnose minimal hepatic encephalopathy and predict overt hepatic encephalopathy. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2007; 102(4): 754-60.

26. JS Bajaj, M Hafeezullah, RG Hoffmann, RR Varma, J Franco, DG Binion, T Hammeke, K Saeian. Navigation skill impairment: Another dimension of the driving difficulties in minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatology. In Press

Abstracts

1. Berger W, Franco J, Shaker R, Dean RES, Werlin SL:  Improved jejunal feeding tube longevity with a faster and more reliable method of replacement.  Digestive Diseases Week 1995.

2. Franco J, Sorrell MF, Langnas AN, Shaw BW: Choledochocholedochostomy biliary reconstruction in primary sclerosing cholangitis patients undergoing liver transplantation. Hepatology 22: 1243: 1995.

3. Saeian K, Rochling FA, Burke R, Bragg D, Franco, J. Medical staff and trainee knowledge of hepatis C. Hepatology 24(4); 437A: 1996.

4. Saeian K, Rochling FA, Franco J: Contraindications to interferon therapy are more common in indigent patients.  Hepatology 23(4): 571A: 1996.

5. Molloy R, Bohorfoush A, Mewissen M, Crain M,  Franco J, Taylor A, Stewart E. Injection of triamcinolone improves outcome of balloon dilatation of defiant hilar bile duct strictures.  Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 45(4);1809: 1997.

6. Saeian K, Reddy SP, Claire R, Komorowski RA, Franco J, Varma RR. Recurrence of nonalcoholic seatohepatitis (NASH) after orthotopic liver transplantation. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. 1998.

7. Bohorfoush A, Franco J, Komorowski R, Gardner P, Varma R, Haluszka O: Flow cytometric analysis of bile duct epithelium in primary sclerosing  cholangitis potentially assists timing of liver transplantation.  Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 45(4)1858: 1997.

8. Saeian K, Franco J,  Nelin L, Crain M, Rilling W, Presberg K, Franco J.  Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) increases in cirrhotics after TIPS placement.  Gastroenterol 2000; 118(4), A1044

9. Saeian K, Franco J,  Knox J, Daniel J, Varma R.  Does High Dose Vitamin E Supplementation Diminish Ribavirin-Associated Hemolysis?  An Interim Report.  Hepatology 34(4);1741: 2001.

10. Christians KK, Wallace JR, Rilling WX,  Franco J, et al.  Hepatocellular carcinoma:  Multimodality management. Central Surgical Association Meeting, 2001.

11. Dreschler P, Robertson M, Rilling W, Crain M, Saeian K,  Franco J.   Quality of Life Assessment in Patients Undergoing Chemoembolization.  A Longitudinal Follow-up Study.  Submitted to the Society of Cardiovascular International Radiologists Annual Meeting, 2002.

12. Gawrieh S, Prajapati D, Saeian K, Varma R, Franco J, Knox J, Kern M, Binion D. Prevalence and patterns of liver function test abnormalities in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Hepatology, Vol.36, No.4, Part 2, 2002.

13. Bajaj J, Saeian K, Franco J, Varma R, Knox J, Daniel J, et al. High-Dose Vitamin E Supplementation Does Not Diminish Ribavirin-Associated Hemolysis in Chronic Hepatitis C. Volume 38, No. 4, Supplement 1, 2003.

14. Konicek B, Franco J, Sebastian J, Torre D. “Autoimmune Hepatitis Masquerading as Hemochromatosis”. 27th Society of General Internal Medicine Annual Meeting. Chicago, Illinois. 2004

15. Anderson R, Lodes M, Franco J, Torre D. How to Implement a Professionalism Curriculum Across the Entire Department of Medicine. 27th Society of General Internal Medicine Annual Meeting. Chicago, Illinois. 2004.

16. Franco R, Franco J, Saeian K. Desponde A, et al. Prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome in Liver Disease. Sleep 28: A269, 2005

17. Aswathnarayan R, Saeian K, Franco J. Franco R. Restless Legs Syndrome Diminishes Quality of Life in Chronic Liver Disease. Accepted for presentation at the 2005 American College of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting.

18. Anderson R, Johnson C, Franco J. Psychosocial Factors in Liver Transplantation: How Are U.S. Centers Evaluating Them. Accepted for presentation at the 2005 American Association For The Study of Liver Disease Annual Meeting.

19. Bajaj J, Saeian K, Franco J, Varma R, Verber M, Rao, Stephen. Does Abnormal Performance on Inhibitory Control Test Predispose to Development of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy. Digestive Diseases Week. Los Angeles, CA. May, 2006.

20. Graf L, Bajaj J, Perez M, Adams M, Mueller C, Anderson R, Franco J. Nursing Attitudes Towards Liver Transplantation: Gap Between Perceptions and Accepted Standards. Hepatology, Vol.44:4, supplement 1. Oral Presentation at The Association for Study of Liver Diseases Annual Meeting, 2006.

21. JS Bajaj, KM Christensen, M Hafeezullah, RR Varma, J Franco, RG Hoffmann, K Saeian.Randomized trial of probiotic yogurt in Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy - It helps to bug your patient. Digestive Disease Week 2007.

22. Bajaj J, Hafeezullah M, Thompson A, Saeian K, Franco J, Anderson R. Deception During  Psychological Evaluation For Liver Transplant in Alcoholic Cirrhosis: A DUI Corroboration Study. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Annual Meeting. Boston, MA., November 2007.

23. Bajaj J, Franco J. Endoscopic Band Ligation of Esophageal Varices in Patients on Anticoagulation: A Case Series. Journal Clinical Gastroenterology, 2007.

24. Franco R, Ashwathnaratan R, Deshpandee A, Knox J, Daniel J, Eastwood D, Franco J, Saeian K. The High Prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome Symptoms in Liver Disease in an Academic-Based Hepatology Practice. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Vol 14, No 1, pgs 2-5, 2008.

25. Bajaj J, Hafeezullah M, Hoffmann R, Varma R, Franco J, Binion D, Hammeke T, Saeian, K. Navigation Skill Impairment: Another Dimension of the Driving Difficulties in Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy. Hepatology, Vol. 47, No. 2, pgs 596-604, 2008.